On January 20, the Verizon Foundation presented a grant of $30,000 to the Hong Kong Neighborhood Advice Action Council (NAAC).

The grant will support the NAAC's Integrated Service Center in offering educational training to families in the Tung Chung community. Verizon Business employees who work in the area will also volunteer their time to help the center deliver Chinese and English language skills, a reading program, homework clubs and community citizenship training.

Tung Chung, on the northwestern coast of Lantau Island in Hong Kong, is home to a large population of multiracial families who recently moved to the territory from mainland China or South Asia to find work. Although there are now many school-age children, there are few resources available for education.

"Programs of this kind give local residents access to skills and experiences, as well as training, outside the scope of their everyday lives," said Verizon Business Senior Vice President Bob Toohey, who presented the grant. "We are confident that the grant and time committed by our local employees will help the NAAC support the integration of Tung Chung into the broader Hong Kong community."

One of the Verizon Foundation's core objectives is to support literacy improvement and quality education to help children and adults gain the skills they need for success in the 21st century. The NAAC is developing programs with corporate partners to address child and adult literacy, basic technology skills and community integration so that participants can maximize their future life opportunities.