Qwest Foundation Donates $350,000 to National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; Grant Supports NetSmartz411, Increased Internet Safety Awareness

2008-04-02 23:41:55 -

- The Qwest Foundation and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children(R) (NCMEC) are announcing the expansion of NetSmartz411, an online Internet safety resource that now includes a bilingual telephone hotline. In addition, members of Congress will honor four individuals with the Spirit of Online Safety Award. -0- WHAT: Launch of the NetSmartz411 hotline and Spirit of Online Safety Award presentation WHEN: Thursday, April 3, 2008 12 - 12:30 p.m. news conference & awards presentation 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. panel discussion WHO: Ernie Allen, President and CEO, NCMEC Paula Kruger, Qwest Executive Vice President of Mass Markets, leader of Qwest Foundation's Online Safety Program, and NCMEC Board of Directors member Shirley Bloomfield, Senior Vice President, Federal Relations, Qwest Communications Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) Representative Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) Representative Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) Spirit of Online Safety Award winners WHERE: Reserve Officers Association One Constitution Avenue, N.E. Washington, D.C. WHY: NCMEC and the Qwest Foundation recognize that parents and guardians are faced with unprecedented challenges trying to keep up with changing technology and help their children stay safer online. Funded by the Qwest Foundation and created by NCMEC, NetSmartz411 provides unprecedented access to NCMEC experts and information to help parents and guardians close the technology gap.

This year's Spirit of Online Safety Award winners are David Bjerga, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, representative of the Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; Mike Donlin, Seattle Public Schools; Jennifer Hanson, Internet Safety Foundation of Colorado; and Sgt. Frank Kardasz, Phoenix Police Department and the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

For the Qwest Foundation
Mike Adams, 303-623-3366
madams@johnstonwells.com
or
NCMEC
Communications Department, 703-837-6111
media@ncmec.org