SBC Excelerator Grant to Support LULAC’s Empower Hispanic America with Technology Initiative

San Antonio TX -- To advance technology skills in diverse communities, the SBC Foundation – the philanthropic arm of SBC Communications Inc. – today awarded a $1 million SBC Excelerator grant to the national League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

Announced at the 75th LULAC National Conference in San Antonio, Texas, the grant will support LULAC’s Empower Hispanic America with Technology initiative which gives Hispanic communities across the United States greater access to technology resources. The grant will provide computer equipment and high speed Internet access, technology curriculum and technology support to LULAC community centers throughout the 13-state SBC territory.

The Empower Hispanic America with Technology initiative works to increase Hispanic educational attainment and economic empowerment. According to current U.S. Census Bureau data, just 57 percent of the Hispanic population over the age of 25 has graduated from high school, and Hispanics are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed. LULAC will use the $1 million SBC Excelerator grant to fund a competitive grants program for regional LULAC organizations and community partners to offer enhanced technology access and services. Visitors to LULAC community centers will use high speed Internet access and computer technology to research career options, college opportunities, scholarships, GED preparation, financial aid and other resources.

“As LULAC celebrates its diamond anniversary and our 75th annual convention, we also look toward building a brighter future for Hispanics,” said Hector Flores, LULAC national president. “The $1 million SBC Excelerator grant will help communities access and utilize the tools necessary to compete in today’s education environment and technology-driven workplace. Together, we understand the impact technology can make in helping Hispanics achieve their full educational and economic potential. This grant further reflects the longstanding support SBC Communications has for programs and services for the Hispanic community.”

LULAC is the first 2004 SBC Excelerator national grant recipient. SBC Excelerator, the SBC Foundation's signature initiative, funds projects that use technology to build stronger communities. The 2004 SBC Excelerator program will provide $9 million in grants to help nonprofits fully integrate technology into their ongoing operations and community outreach.

The SBC tradition of leadership is focused on investing in the people and communities the company serves through a variety of philanthropic and volunteer initiatives. SBC companies support the educational progress and achievement of Hispanics and currently contribute to 30 organizations with educational programs or scholarships supporting Hispanics. In 2003, 98 predominantly Hispanic-serving organizations received funds through the SBC Foundation’s SBC Excelerator annual program. Also, through the Hispanic Association of Communications Employees (HACEMOS) volunteer group, SBC employees engage with the Hispanic community with programs such as High Tech Day – an annual event that encourages high school students to pursue careers in telecommunications and technology – across the company’s region.

“SBC shares LULAC’s commitment to building a strong culture of opportunity, growth and diversity,” said Forrest Miller, SBC group president of External Affairs and Planning. “Our support for the Empower Hispanic America with Technology initiative reflects the company’s core commitment to strengthening education and community development opportunities to improve lives and communities through technology.”

SBC companies have a solid, industry-leading record of workforce and supplier diversity, providing employment and leadership opportunities to employees and Hispanic businesses. In fact, SBC Communications has been recognized by Fortune magazine's 50 Best Companies for Minorities for six consecutive years, as one of the top 50 companies for diversity by DiversityInc.com and as one of the best companies for Latinas by LATINAStyle magazine.

Projects funded through the SBC Excelerator grant will be awarded to LULAC centers and community partners on a competitive basis in the SBC 13-state operating area, which includes Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin. A Request for Proposal package will be available to regional LULAC organizations later this month.

 In coming months, the SBC Foundation will announce additional SBC Excelerator national grant recipients, as well as the regional nonprofit recipients of $5 million in competitive grants awarded throughout the SBC 13-state region. Since SBC Excelerator's inception in 2002, nearly $20 million in technology grants has been awarded to more than 1,000 non-profit organizations. In 2004, the SBC Foundation celebrates its 20th anniversary year. Since 1984, SBC Communications and the SBC Foundation have contributed more than $1 billion to nonprofit organizations and affiliates across the country.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

The SBC Foundation is the charitable giving arm of SBC Communications Inc. The SBC Foundation supports efforts that enrich and strengthen diverse communities nationwide, particularly those with an emphasis on education and technology and those that benefit underserved populations. SBC Foundation-backed programs are designed to increase access to information technologies, broaden technology training and professional skills development, and effectively integrate new technologies to enhance education and economic development. The Foundation Center has consistently ranked the SBC Foundation among the nation's top five corporate foundations. In 2002, the SBC Foundation launched SBC Excelerator, a multimillion dollar competitive grants program that funds nonprofit organizations in their efforts to digitally connect communities.

SBC Communications Inc. is a Fortune 50 company whose subsidiaries, operating under the SBC brand, provide a full range of voice, data, networking, e-business, directory publishing and advertising, and related services to businesses, consumers and other telecommunications providers. SBC holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which serves more than 24 million wireless customers. SBC companies provide high-speed DSL Internet access lines to more American consumers than any other provider and are among the nation's leading providers of Internet services. SBC companies also now offer satellite TV service. Additional information about SBC and SBC products and services is available at http://www.sbc.com .