“Getting Involved Brightens Your Heart”---For the past nine years, Grace Cotto has motivated others within Verizon and inspired community partners through her steadfast work as a Team Captain in the Verizon Team Champions Program.

Grace’s efforts rallying her fellow employees to fundraise for worthy nonprofits have resulted in over $50,000 in donations for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night, American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and most recently part of the annual Revlon Run/Walk.

As the President of the NY/NJ Chapter of Verizon’s Employee Resource Group for women, WAVE, Grace is a key part of helping connect Verizon employees to the community, inspiring a team, and motivating others to join her in acting as public champions in support of key causes.  Her connection to cancer as a healthcare issue has led to her longstanding belief that there is strength in numbers when it comes to making a difference and that standing alongside the community of survivors, family members and loved ones affected by this issue provides for a growth opportunity that sets the stage for success both in and out of the workplace.  Grace puts it best when she says, “Participating in these events and being able to witness the strength of survivors and how amazing it is that our fundraising dollars helped accomplish that is heartwarming.  Being a part of these events yearly and getting to see the survivor rate increase is when you really feel like you can make a difference.”

To join Grace as part of the Verizon Team Champions Program, contact Engagement@verizonfoundation.org