Bell Atlantic Foundation Provides $150K for Flood Relief Efforts in New Jersey

Bell Atlantic Foundation Provides $150K for Flood Relief Efforts in New Jersey

Offers to Match Employee Contributions to Three New Jersey American Red Cross Chapers on a Two-to-One Basis

September 22, 1999

NEWARK, N.J. -- Responding to the massive flooding that has affected thousands of Bell Atlantic customers in the wake of Tropical Storm Floyd, the Bell Atlantic Foundation today announced $150,000 in grants to three American Red Cross chapters in New Jer
sey. The funds are to be used exclusively for disaster relief efforts in Bergen, Somerset and Union counties.

Checks for $50,000 each are being presented today to the Bergen Crossroads chapter of the American Red Cross, the American Red Cross of Greater Somerset County and the American Red Cross of Union County.

In addition, the foundation will match Bell Atlantic employees' contributions to the New Jersey relief efforts on a two-to-one basis, according to Bill Freeman, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic-New Jersey.

"In partnership with Governor Whitman and in recognition of the leadership she has shown in dealing with this crisis in New Jersey, the Bell Atlantic Foundation is proud to lend its support to the disaster relief efforts in the state's hardest-hit areas,"
said Freeman. "We are committed to helping our customers, our employees, and their families and friends as they seek to get their lives back together in the wake of Floyd and its devastating floods," he added.

"New Jersey's business community has shown its commitment to helping our neighbors with contributions like this from the Bell Atlantic Foundation," said New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman. "In fact, Bell Atlantic has distinguished itself with thi
s contribution, which is by far the largest single contribution to our relief efforts. I think all New Jerseyans join me in thanking Bell Atlantic for its contribution."

The Bell Atlantic Foundation has previously provided financial support for disaster relief efforts around the globe in the wake of the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey and hurricanes in Puerto Rico, Latin America and the Caribbean. "As important a
s those efforts are, we also feel compelled to encourage our employees to contribute to these relief efforts through our offer of a two-for-one match because New Jersey is our home," said Freeman.

In addition to the $150,000 in direct emergency relief grants to the three American Red Cross chapters and the two-for-one match offer, Bell Atlantic has installed 100 new telephone lines to help the New Jersey chapters' disaster services personnel.

Bell Atlantic is providing emergency phone services to victims of flood-stricken Bound Brook, including the installation of 24 temporary phone lines at emergency command posts at Bound Brook High School and Lafayette Elementary School, from which resident
s can make free phone calls. Bell Atlantic also is offering free temporary Home Voice Mail boxes to help flood victims communicate and to obtain federal flood relief. Bell Atlantic Mobile has distributed 60 cellular phones to emergency services personne
l.

The Bell Atlantic Foundation supports a variety of projects domestically and internationally, with an emphasis on new technology applications in education, health and human services, the arts and humanities, and civic development in the communities serve
d by Bell Atlantic. For more information, visit www.bellatlanticfoundation.com on the Internet.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With more than 43 million telephone access lines and more than 10 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wirel
ine voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operatio
ns and investments in 23 countries.

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