Qwest New Mexico

QWEST FOUNDATION DISPLAYS SPIRIT OF SERVICE IN NEW MEXICO THROUGH DONATIONS, VOLUNTEERISM IN 2007

$255,000 Donated to New Mexico Organizations; Employees and Qwest Pioneers Donated More Than 30,000 Hours

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Jan. 22, 2008 – Qwest and the Qwest Foundation are excited to enter a new year of giving, and pleased to highlight philanthropic work that took place throughout the state of New Mexico in 2007. Last year, Qwest, Qwest employees and the Qwest Foundation donated more than $255,000 to various causes throughout the state -- while employees and retirees volunteered more than 30,000 hours with a value of nearly $572,000. That brings the total value of donations and volunteer hours in New Mexico to more than $827,000.

“The Qwest Spirit of Service is something Qwest employees carry with them throughout the entire year,” said Loretta A. Armenta, Qwest president of New Mexico. “It is an honor to be associated with people who give so generously of their time and resources to better the communities we live in.”

Qwest Foundation donations and volunteer hours include the following:

Qwest Foundation grants to nonprofit organizations throughout New Mexico totaled $154,450 in 2007. Grant recipients included: Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce; Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Library System; Belen Consolidated Schools; Esperanza Shelter for Battered Families, Santa Fe; Teach for America, Gallup; Western New Mexico University, Silver City; Farmington Chamber of Commerce CHOICES program; and more.

Thanks to a $50,000 Qwest Foundation grant for the Qwest Teachers and Technology program, Albuquerque Public Schools provided financial resources to teachers interested in developing creative ways to use technology in the classroom. The grant program recognizes New Mexico K-12 teachers who are already creative technology integrators, and want to take the power of digital learning technologies to the next level.

During the 2007 United Way campaign, Qwest New Mexico employees donated more than $33,500, with a 33 percent participation rate from employees. The Qwest Foundation matched employee contributions 75 cents to the dollar, adding another $47,300 for a total of nearly $80,900. Seven different United Way agencies received funding: United Way of Central New Mexico, Albuquerque; United Way of Chaves County, Roswell; United Way of Eastern New Mexico, Clovis; United Way of Northern New Mexico, Los Alamos; United Way of Otero County, Alamogordo; United Way of Santa Fe County, Santa Fe; United Way of Southwest New Mexico, Las Cruces.

The Qwest Pioneers are part of the Telecom Pioneers, the largest, industry-related volunteer organization in the world. As a group of employees and retirees, Qwest Pioneers donate their time and talents to community projects. In 2007, Qwest New Mexico Pioneers volunteered more than 30,000 hours to 49 projects.

The Matching Time grants are another way Qwest employees give back to their communities. Employees who volunteer 60 hours of time over a six-month period receive a check for $500 for the nonprofit on behalf of the volunteer and the Qwest Foundation. With the Foundation’s focus on education, it will donate $1,000 to the nonprofit agency on behalf of employees who volunteer their time with programs that directly advance classroom success. In New Mexico, the Qwest Foundation made 13 Matching Time grants to six different organizations in 2007, donating a total of $9,500.

Qwest also sponsored community events like the Santa Fe Spanish Market and the Hatch Chile Festival.

“With a rich history of donating to the community, Qwest is looking forward to continuing our philanthropic work in 2008 and beyond,” said Armenta. “We’re proud to be in New Mexico and promise to continue our mission of serving our communities with the Qwest Spirit of Service.”

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