Verizon Invests More Than $22 Million as Its Overall Commitment to Domestic Violence Prevention in 2011

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The cycle of domestic violence affects nearly one in four women, one in nine men, and over 3 million children across the country.  In 2011, Verizon invested more than $22 million as part of its longstanding commitment to domestic violence prevention and awareness.  Part of the money donated by Verizon in 2011 included more than $4.2 million in cash grants from HopeLine^® from Verizon to nearly 450 domestic violence prevention and awareness programs across the country.  In addition to contributions through HopeLine, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, awarded $10 million in grants in 2011 to nonprofit organizations that support those affected by domestic violence. 

Verizon Wireless, through HopeLine, provided more than 29,000 phones with a total of 87.1 million minutes of wireless service to shelters and agencies nationwide for use by clients – enough minutes to stay connected nonstop for 165 consecutive years.  Of the 1 million phones collected, nearly 24,000 were properly disposed of using environmentally sound methods – keeping more than 59 tons of wireless phones and batteries from entering community landfills.  For the fifth consecutive year, Verizon Wireless collected more than 1 million no-longer-used wireless phones through its HopeLine from Verizon program. 

"Domestic violence is a silent epidemic that affects our entire society–regardless of race, education or socioeconomic level," said Marquett Smith, vice president of communications for Verizon Wireless.  "To combat this serious issue, Verizon leverages its technology and resources to help victims and continue the battle against domestic violence."

Through HopeLine, Verizon's phone recycling program, the company collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any carrier and puts them to work in the community by turning them into support for domestic violence survivors.  Phones collected through HopeLine recycling drives are either refurbished and sold or recycled, and proceeds are donated to organizations that work against domestic violence in the form of cash grants and prepaid Verizon Wireless phones for survivors.

2011 Initiatives to Support Domestic Violence Victims and Survivors

Numerous individuals and organizations, including law enforcement partners and corporations, rallied their communities by hosting HopeLine phone drives across the country.  In October 2011, Verizon Wireless partnered with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) in an eight-city tour, Journey of Hope, to inspire local communities to share their stories and donate no-longer-used phones to the program.  Through Journey of Hope, eight cities across the country were invited to share their stories of hope and perseverance – uniting and inspiring the public to play an active role in ending domestic violence. 

Also in 2011, The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) and Verizon Wireless joined forces to increase employer and employee awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue and offered tools to respond to it through the CAEPV HopeLine from Verizon Webinar Series. 

Verizon Wireless introduced the Samsung Intensity^™ II in Purple in October 2011 to help continue to raise awareness of domestic violence. The color purple has symbolized anti-domestic violence efforts for more than 20 years.  Verizon Wireless also offers a direct link for help across its nationwide wireless network through #HOPE, which provides victims with an avenue to safety and independence.  By dialing "#HOPE" from any Verizon Wireless phone on the nationwide network, victims of domestic violence are able to access professional support quickly and confidentially.  The toll- and airtime-free call is routed to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE).  

Since the national recycling program began in 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 9 million phones; awarded more than $14 million in cash grants to prevention and awareness programs nationwide; and distributed more than 123,000 HopeLine phones with more than 406 million minutes of airtime to victims, survivors and domestic violence organizations.  The program has also properly disposed of more than 1 million phones in an environmentally sound way and refurbished the remaining units.

To learn more about HopeLine from Verizon and to become involved, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.  To receive up-to-the-minute news on Verizon Wireless' domestic violence prevention efforts, follow @VZWElva on Twitter^™.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 107.7 million total wireless connections, including 90.7 million retail customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.  To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless