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AT&T Inc. Receives Freeman Philanthropic Services Award For Outstanding Corporation



This year’s recipient of the 2009 Freeman Philanthropic Services Award for Outstanding Coporation, presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals?

Offer your congratulations to AT&T Inc.

This particular award honors a corporation that demonstrates outstanding commitment through financial support and encouragement/motivation of others taking leadership roles towards philanthropy and community involvment.

In less than a decade, AT&T has officially given more than $800 million to organizations that work to enhance education, support community vitality and meet those critical needs of underserved and diverse communities. Some of the cause they support - The Mayo Clinic; the Mexican-American Opportunity Foundation; American Veterans Live Memorial Fund and the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

One of AT&T’s largest initiatives was launching AT&T Aspire – launched back in 2008 with $100 million to help strengthen student success and workforce readiness. The program provides grants to help students stay in school, while preparing for the workforce. It also works in tandem with Junior Achievement and provides funding for community dropout prevention summits through America’s Promise, while supporting the study of current school dropout rates and possible solutions.

Aside from their focus on the future and employees of tomorrow, AT&T hasn’t forgotten about the previous generation. In a partnership with OASIS – a national non-profit that helps mature adults develop new working skills – AT&T is helping those senior citizens with a desire to re-enter the workforce. There are hundreds of classes available in over seventy locations, while OASIS also provides mobile phone training and uses AT&T volunteers as one-on-one mentors.

Another critical goal of AT&T is employee engagement. Over 325,000 employees and retirees serve as AT&T Pioneers, donating more than 10 million volunteer hours in 2007. Employees also reached into their pockets, donating more than $32 million to charitable organizations last year, a number almost as staggering as the $83 million AT&T has contributed to the United Way since 2000.

Economy woes aside, AT&T is stepping up and is a true leader, dedicated to giving back to individuals and communities worldwide. It is because of this that they are a deserving recipient of this year’s Freeman Philanthropic Services Award.