Community Relations
A Yellow Pages Association Industry Excellence Award Winner for Community Programs 2007 and 2008.
Mission
Idearc is dedicated to creating communities of readers where our employees and
customers live and work. We partner with organizations that supply books to
underserved children, promote reading and improve libraries.
Improving reading skills is important to the success of our communities. A community of readers has more high school and college graduates, highly-skilled workers, stronger economic growth and better paying jobs.
Recent Idearc Community Releases:
D.C. Public Library Unveils New Black Studies Center
Community Relations Information:
Extreme Library Makeovers
National Partners
Volunteerism
Enlighten Me (an online education site)
Idearc's Community Toolkit
Idearc Community Video
Verizon® Yellow Pages Local Heroes Ads
Idearc Media Extreme Library Makeovers
The Idearc Media Extreme Library Makeover concept is
based on supporting literacy in a similar way that Habitat
for Humanity supports the community -- with human resources. Idearc employees
volunteered to refurbish four libraries in 2007 - 2008. They were given paid time off
for this project. Through a $105,000 grant to the American Library Association,
Idearc Media provided funds for new furniture, shelving and paint to each library.
The Idearc employees transformed the libraries by painting walls, creating murals
and artwork, assembling furniture and cleaning.
In Fort Worth, Texas we renovated the Riverside Branch
Library so it better reflected the surrounding Hispanic
community. In Washington, D.C., we updated the Martin
Luther King Jr. Memorial Library's Black Studies Division
to encourage more teens to use this valuable resource for
African American History. The Wilmington Memorial Library
project in Massachusetts involved renovating the second
floor with a focus on improving the teen and children's
area with bright colors and engaging murals. In the Bronx, we created a fresh new
look for the Soundview Branch Library by brightening up the children's area with
"Bronx Zoo" animal themed artwork, rug and furniture.
These four libraries received valuable improvements
during a time when public budgets are unusually tight.
National Partners
Click here for more information on Idearc's national community partners.
Volunteerism
Idearc and Superpages.com® encourage its 7,000 employees
to volunteer for projects that improve reading levels;
become reading mentors/tutors, refurbish libraries and
become non-profit board members. An example of our
employee volunteerism is the Idearc Media Extreme
Library Makeover -- our employees volunteer their time
to refurbish areas in libraries.
In 2007, 250 employees volunteered to refurbish
three libraries, providing 1,000 man-hours valued
at $18,770. In addition, our artists who
design yellow page ads created original artwork and
murals for the library. Libraries could not afford
this type of original artwork if they had to pay
for it -- it would costs thousands of dollars to
duplicate this effort. It has been a creative
outlet for our artists and a morale booster for
our employees and the communities.
Enlighten Me
- Enlighten Me is an online literacy program designed to introduce children
and parents to Superpages.com with literacy activities in a fun and safe
environment, at
www.superpages.com/community_education .
Idearc's Community Toolkit
- Community Investment Fact Sheet
This fact sheet highlights Idearc’s commitment to creating communities of readers. - Reading
Statistics
Find statistics about the importance of access to books in improving reading levels.
Idearc Community Video
Click here to view our video highlights page with Idearc's Community Video.
Verizon Yellow Pages Local Heroes Ads
These special ads in the Verizon Yellow Pages promote people, instead of the usual businesses or services. Throughout many of our directories, you'll find ads that recognize "Local Heroes" who inspire us all to make our communities better places.
Local Heroes in Your Community:
Edward C. Taylor, Mercer County, New Jersey
Hines Ward, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Lindsay Trout , Washington, D.C.
Contact Us
Andrew Shane
972-453-6473
andrew.shane@idearc.comJannie Nguyen
972-453-3916
jannie.nguyen@idearc.com
