Together with national and local partners, Verizon is committed to:
Providing small business owners with a digital edge.
Verizon’s Small Business Digital Ready program is built by small businesses for small businesses, offering personalized tools to grow and thrive in the digital economy. The program includes over 40 online courses, peer networking events, 1:1 expert coaching, and grant funding incentives, all available in Spanish. Verizon is proud to support over 9,000 Houston-based businesses owners with these resources.
Helping individuals to rewrite their future.
Verizon Skill Forward helps provide individuals with the skills to pave their path to new career opportunities with job-relevant programs from edX. Designed by leading universities and industry experts, learners can access courses in English and Spanish free for 12 months, including companion learning tools and career development resources. Texas is our second-most engaged state in the program, and we are dedicated to helping even more Texans find a fulfilling job.
Creating paths for students to exceed in STEM.
Verizon Innovative Learning empowers students with new ways of learning through support for educators, technology-integrated curriculum, emerging technologies, and internet access,reaching over 150K students in Houston to-date. STEM enrichment programs on the campuses of Texas Southern University and Houston Community College empower middle school students from under-resourced communities to build STEM and entrepreneurship skills, and access mentorship opportunities.
Leveraging community centers to grow digital skills.
Verizon has partnered with BakerRipley to launch Verizon Community Forward in Houston. This program includes 2 learning centers in Gulfton and East End, that are free and open to the public, to provide STEM education to students, and digital skills and workforce development programming for adults in the community.
Partnering for neighborhood-driven economic prosperity.
The Houston Economic Growth Collaborative was established by Verizon in 2023, bringing together foundations, corporations, nonprofits, and neighborhood partners who are committed to pooling resources, information, and opportunities to achieve a community-led vision for localized economic prosperity and catalyze systemic change. The Collaborative aims to partner alongside Houston neighborhoods in a new way to support sustainable economic growth.