The Verizon Foundation announced earlier today at a press conference in conjunction withVerizon Wireless' Journey of Hopenational tour to raise awareness around the issue of domestic violence, that it has awarded$105,000in grants to nine organizations inGeorgiato support programs dedicated to educating teens about dating and domestic violence prevention.

"These grants from the Verizon Foundation are very generous and we are honored they recognize the importance of this issue and our work inGeorgia," saysNicole Lesserof the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "We work very hard to prevent family violence before it happens. Reaching teens, both boys and girls, regarding appropriate relationship behavior, signs of abuse and prevention techniques will help improve our state's families for future generations."

Throughout October, known as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Verizon is leading and supporting many initiatives to bring this silent epidemic into the light. Nearly one in four women, one in nine men, and over three million children have been affected by domestic violence. According to a recently released report, titled "When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2009 Homicide Data,"Georgianow ranks sixth in the country for its rate at which men kill women in single-victim homicides, most of which are domestic violence murders.

"Domestic violence awareness and prevention efforts need to take place year round," saidMichelle Miller, Director of Retail Sales for theGeorgia/Alabama Region of Verizon Wireless. "We are proud to support the critically important work that these organizations are undertaking on behalf ofGeorgia's women, children and families."

Organizations awarded a grant from the Verizon Foundation include:

• Columbus Alliancefor Battered Women/Hope Harbour:The grant will purchase educational materials and fund community events about teen dating violence prevention, awareness and education. The organization will also plan a community-wide teen dating violence prevention and awareness rallyFebruary 2012(designated by Congress as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention month).
• Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (GCADV):This grant will allow GCADV to initiate a social media contest for teens to name a new project to prevent teen dating violence and provide services to victims. The project would focus on technology and safety and culminate with a statewide training for programs on teen dating violence and technology safety.
• Georgia Family and Education Research Council:This donation will allow the organization to manage the Healthy Relationships for Youth program, which is focused on training at-risk youth, ages 13-18, in building and maintaining healthy dating relationships within the communities ofLithonia,Duluthand Inner City Atlanta.
• Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia:This grant will fund the "I Am A G.I.F.T. (Great Intelligent Fabulous & Terrific) You Will NOT Mistreat Me" program, designed to help girls learn to recognize the signs of controlling behavior and unacceptable violent behavior in their dating relationships and in the home.
• Hiram High School:This grant supports the Teen Power! program, in which students are taught warning signs of dating violence. Students are trained in the issue, collaborate with each other and work with drama students to perform educational skits regarding the dangers of dating violence.
• Jewish Family and Career Services Inc.:These funds will support a part-time facilitator, community outreach, mileage, program materials and evaluation of theShalom Bayit ("Peace in the Home") Teen Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative.
• Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV):These funds support PADV's Teen Dating Violence and Prevention Program, which raises public awareness about the issue of domestic violence, educates youth and adults on the dynamics of teen dating violence, promotes healthy relationships among adolescents and teens to prevent future violence, and advocates for change in community norms so that domestic and teen dating violence is not tolerated nor allowed to continue to exist.
• Savannah Area Family Emergency Shelter:This grant will support the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Project, a yearlong, county-wide dating violence awareness campaign forChatham Countyhigh schools, both public and private. The campaign, Love Shouldn't Hurt, will target students in grades 9-12.
• Cool Girls Inc.This grant will help support the Cool Girls Club, anafter school program about Healthy Dating and Abusive Relationships. Funding will also support the Divas in Defense program to administer their "Fight Like a Girl" curriculum in nine schools for nine weeks.

A culmination of a request for proposals by the Foundation earlier this summer, participating organizations were asked to submit proposals that focused a variety of domestic and dating violence issues among teens and young adults, including:

• Domestic violence prevention among teenagers and young adults,
• Educating teenagers about healthy relationships and dating violence prevention,
• Educating young men about how not to be a perpetrator of domestic or sexual violence, or both, and
• Utilizing technology and social media to prevent domestic violence and increase education among teens.