Pioneers Award More Than $520,000 to Local Community Projects across North America

Pioneers Volunteer Community Grant Program Sparks Change in Local Communities in 2011 to Celebrate 100 year Anniversary

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pioneers, the largest industry-related volunteer organization in the world, announced today the award of 21 community grants as part of the organization’s Pioneers Volunteer Community Grant Program. The grants range in size from $10,000-$50,000 in communities spanning North America from Texas to New Jersey to Prince Edward Island in Canada. Grant projects will take place in 2011 to commemorate the Pioneers 100th Anniversary.

A non-profit network of current and retired telecommunications employees, Pioneers is committed to effect immediate, tangible change in local communities, in partnership with its sponsors such as AT&T, Bell Aliant, Qwest, SaskTel, Verizon Foundation, FairPoint Communications, Frontier and Telcordia.

Pioneers launched the Pioneers Volunteer Community Grant Program at its annual meeting this past year in Atlanta. Local Pioneers units were offered an opportunity to select a community organization or program to donate time and resources and then apply for part of the more than $520,000 grant money.

“Pioneers volunteers are already making amazing impact in their local communities from education projects to military donations to environmental clean-up,” said Jim Schmit, Chairman of the Board, Pioneers and Qwest President for Idaho. “In 2011 we celebrate our Centennial anniversary and decided to further demonstrate our commitment to the communities we serve and follow our mission to implement effective, immediate, tangible change in local communities across North America.”

Grant projects will take place in 2011 and include a range of community efforts. In Florida, for example, the Pioneers chapter will launch “A Centennial Spark in the Park” refurbishing 11 city parks throughout the state of Florida including the planting of 100 trees with plaques memorializing the Pioneers 100th Anniversary.

The Connecticut Pioneers chapter will launch a statewide initiative to focus on the states veteran population, including collection efforts for overseas veterans, lunch programs and help for homeless veterans.

States and provinces that received grant funds include Arkansas, Florida, New Jersey, Kansas, Wisconsin, Texas, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Minnesota, Iowa, Connecticut, Alabama, Utah, Oregon, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Tennessee, Washington DC, and Rhode Island, as well as Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan in Canada.

More information about the Pioneers Volunteer Community Grant Program will be released throughout 2011 when project specifics in the above geographic areas are solidified.

About Pioneers

Founded in 1911 as the Telephone Pioneers of America, Pioneers has grown to be the largest industry-related volunteer organization in the world. A non-profit network of more than 620,000 volunteers, Pioneers is committed to effect immediate, tangible change in local communities in partnership with its sponsors such as AT&T, Bell Aliant, Qwest, SaskTel, Verizon Foundation, FairPoint Communications, Frontier and Telcordia. Committed to serving communities in the United States, Canada and around the world, Pioneers is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. For more information visit www.pioneersvolunteer.org or www.telecompioneers.org or call 1-800-976-1914.

CONTACT:

Fitzgerald Petersen
Heather Lindemann, 303-570-0011
Heather@fitzgeraldpetersen.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Colorado

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Technology  Telecommunications  Philanthropy  Other Philanthropy

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