The Verizon Foundation Awards $14,000 Grant to Help Victims of Domestic Violence Obtain Employment
Hubbard House was awarded a $14,000 grant from The Verizon Foundation to help fund its Creating Opportunities and Career Help (COACH) program. The COACH program started in 2011 as a result of a grant from the COACH Foundation and is designed to help survivors of domestic violence secure economic stability through rewarding employment. Domestic violence survivors often feel they must choose between an abusive relationship and economic hardship.
The two-fold program establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships with Jacksonville employers while working alongside Hubbard House participants. By helping victims find and maintain employment the program will have a sustainable impact on their ability to have financial independence and an opportunity to live a life free of violence.
“Many of the women I meet and work with are facing extremely tough situations and personal challenges – they’ve been told they don’t have value for so long that we have to work through those barriers,” said Hubbard House career specialist Kathryn Swanson. “They’re usually highly motivated, so my job is to give them the right tools and offer support and encouragement. It’s very rewarding work.”
Since the inception of the COACH program, 32 survivors of domestic violence have either gained employment or received a promotion.
“Hubbard House has long-served the Jacksonville area with critical services to help prevent domestic abuse and to care for those who have been hurt,” said Pam Tope, Florida region president of Verizon Wireless. “We’re proud to support the organization’s great work.”
For more information about the COACH program please contact Kathryn Swanson, Career Specialist, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (904) 354-0076 ext 262.
ABOUT VERIZON: Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with nearly 96 million retail customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 184,500. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com.
ABOUT THE VERIZON FOUNDATION: The Verizon Foundation helps people to live healthy, safe and independent lives by addressing disparities in education, health care and sustainability. Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live. Verizon’s employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 6.2 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information, visit http://www.verizonfoundation.org.