GTE Awards $549,500 to 25 Dallas/Ft. Worth Area Charitable Organizations

Business Wire, March 31, 1999

IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 1999--GTE today will distribute $549,500 to 25 area organizations during its annual "Celebration of Giving" event. Assisting GTE Network Services president John Appel, and GTE Communications Corporation president Butch Bercher in presenting the awards will be Wally Amos, author, motivational speaker and founder of Famous Amos Cookies.

"GTE recognizes and appreciates the essential and valuable role of non-profit organizations in the Metroplex," said Appel, "And we are committed as a corporation to supporting them in their efforts.

"We're also grateful that Wally Amos could join us today. His commitment to helping others is truly inspiring, and encourages us at GTE to continue to strive toward personal excellence in all we do," added Appel.

Said Bercher: "From disaster recovery, the arts and literacy efforts, there is hardly an adult or child in our communities who will not be impacted by the work these organizations do throughout the year. Through our "Celebration of Giving" we are making a meaningful contribution in the communities we serve." -0-

     The 25 organizations recognized today by GTE include:

Dallas County Adult Literacy    Literacy Instruction for Texas
Texas Woman's University        United Way of Dallas
American Red Cross              United Way of Tarrant County
Dallas Women's Foundation       Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce
TRAIL Foundation                North Texas Public Broadcasting
Boy Scouts of America           Dallas Urban League
Volunteer Center of Dallas      Trinity Works
Dallas Theater Center           Genesis Women's Shelter
Greater Dallas Crime Commission Dallas Business Committee for the Arts
Dallas Symphony                 Zale Lipshy University Hospital
Dallas Summer Musicals          Dallas Opera
Grapevine/Colleyville ISD       Texas Independent College Fund
Cultural Affairs of Irving

In 1999, GTE will award more than $2.6 million to Dallas/Ft. Worth charities. Nationwide, the GTE Foundation will provide more than $30 million in financial support to educational and charitable organizations on behalf of GTE and its subsidiaries.

About GTE

With 1998 revenues of more than $25 billion, GTE is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies and a leading provider of integrated telecommunications services. In the United States, GTE provides local service in 28 states and wireless service in 17 states; nationwide long-distance and internetworking services ranging from dial-up Internet access for residential and small business customers to Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies, as well as video service in selected markets. More information about GTE is available on the World Wide Web at www.gte.com.