As part of the Global Goal: Unite for Our Future event on June 27, Global Citizen’s long-time partner Verizon committed to donating $1 million to Education Cannot Wait, which works to deliver education to children during emergencies.
By supporting Education Cannot Wait, Verizon is helping the organization partner with governments and development funds to deliver a timely response to children’s educational needs that have been affected by COVID-19. Education Cannot Wait, which was established during the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, operates around the core goals of positioning education as a top priority during crises, as well as improving accountability so that governments and other institutions have strengthened capacities to respond to urgent educational needs.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Verizon has expanded its commitment to education to ensure that students and teachers have the tools they need to succeed in a digital world. The company recognizes that the pandemic has been a transformative moment for education, and that this is a crucial time to ensure that students can continue to learn and teachers can continue to teach.
“Our mission at Verizon is to build the networks that move the world forward — for everyone,” said Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon Communications. “Ensuring our students and teachers have the resources they need to teach and learn, especially as we navigate through COVID-19, is an imperative part of that mission. We’re proud to continue our partnership with Global Citizen and to support the great work of Education Cannot Wait during this crucial time.”
Verizon’s Innovative Learning Program is a cornerstone of the company’s long-standing commitment to supporting education initiatives. Helping to close the digital divide since 2012, the Innovative Learning program caters to underserved middle school students across the country by providing connectivity, technology, and an immersive curriculum. The program will be in 350 schools by the end of 2021.
To date, Verizon and the Verizon Foundation have committed over $55 million in contributions and donations to nonprofits around the globe to help address some of the most critical societal needs that have emerged from COVID-19. In addition to supporting education by addressing remote learning needs and student food insecurity, Verizon has also donated to support first responders, health care workers, and small businesses.