Verizon commits $1 million to support Habitat for Humanity’s Hurricane Michael recovery efforts in Gulf Coast
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (July 25, 2019) — With the 2019 hurricane season underway, communities along the Gulf Coast continue to rebuild after last year’s devastating season. To help families recover from Hurricane Michael, Verizon announced today its foundation is providing $1 million in support of Habitat for Humanity’s recovery efforts. In addition, more than 20 volunteers from Verizon are on hand helping to raise the walls on the latest home being built in the Florida Panhandle.
“Verizon is committed to the communities where we live and work, and we’re honored to stand side by side today with those impacted by Hurricane Michael,” said Ronan Dunne, executive vice president and group CEO of Verizon Consumer. “Recovery and rebuilding will take years, and this grant to Habitat for Humanity to support their critically important work on the ground is just one example of the commitment we’ve made to be there for our customers and the community.”
“I visited Panama City soon after Hurricane Michael passed and witnessed firsthand the devastation it brought about,” said Tami Erwin, executive vice president and group CEO of Verizon Business. “We made a commitment then to stay in the community for the long haul and this is our most recent pledge to support residents and businesses.”
Long after first responders provide immediate relief following a disaster, the need for ongoing support remains critical. Habitat helps affected families rebuild through its long-term recovery efforts.
“With support from partners like Verizon, we can help more families in the Gulf Coast build back stronger and make a lasting difference in their communities,” said Julie Laird Davis, vice president for corporate and cause marketing at Habitat. “It’s more important than ever that families know they are not alone as they rebuild.”
Verizon often talks about how it runs to a crisis, and following Hurricane Michael the organization has committed more than $25 million to its network in the Panhandle and more than $2 million in grants to organizations like Habitat for Humanity. This helps impacted communities recover and rebuild. Verizon also invested in additional mobile network assets with satellite connections that can be deployed anywhere a natural disaster strikes. Learn more about the organization’s disaster response efforts at https://www.verizon.com/about/news/emergency-resource-center.
Habitat has been helping communities in the U.S. and around the world recover from disasters for more than 20 years. Every disaster leaves a unique path of destruction, and Habitat’s recovery work varies based on the impact and available resources. Learn more at habitat.org/disaster.
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc., headquartered in New York City, generated revenues of $130.9 billion in 2018. The company operates America’s most reliable wireless network and the nation’s premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated solutions to businesses worldwide. With brands like Yahoo, TechCrunch and HuffPost, the company’s media group helps consumers stay informed and entertained, communicate and transact, while creating new ways for advertisers and partners to connect. Verizon’s corporate responsibility prioritizes the environmental, social and governance issues most relevant to its business and impact to society. Verizon’s online media center: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at www.verizon.com/about/news/. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.
