Make a Difference During Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Donate No-Longer-Used Cell Phones to HopeLine From Verizon

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Looking for a way to take part in the cause during Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October?  HopeLine® from Verizon gives consumers a way to support domestic violence victims and organizations by collecting no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider.  

HopeLine from Verizon puts the nation's most reliable wireless network to work in the community by turning no-longer-used wireless phones into support for victims of domestic violence.  Proceeds from the HopeLine program are used to provide wireless phones and airtime to victims of domestic violence and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention, awareness and advocacy.  Consumers can donate their phones at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide or by mail using the postage-paid mailing label available at www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel.

Verizon has a longstanding commitment to raising awareness of domestic violence and aiding in its prevention.  Since 2007, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, has awarded more than $15 million in grants to nonprofit organizations that support those affected by domestic violence.  Verizon's efforts include:

• "Telling Amy's Story" – A powerful documentary on domestic violence that chronicles the time leading up to the death of Amy Homan McGee, a mother of two who was shot and killed by her husband.  The documentary, created by Pennsylvania State University Public Broadcasting, is currently airing on stations throughout the country.  A complete listing of stations and times is available at http://telling.psu.edu. "Telling Amy's Story" builds on a successful domestic violence prevention program at Pennsylvania State University.  Both the training program and the documentary were funded through Verizon Foundation grants in the amount of $385,000.
• Text-to-Donate Program – Verizon and the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) are teaming up to launch the text-to-donate program.  Customers can make a $10 donation to NNEDV by texting "HOPE" to 41010. One hundred percent of each $10 donation will go to NNEDV and its affiliated state domestic violence coalitions.  Verizon will waive its customers' text messaging fees, and customers' $10 donations will appear on their next monthly bills.  As part of the text-to-donate campaign, HopeLine from Verizon will also match donations up to $50,000.  
• Samsung Gusto™ – The color purple has symbolized domestic violence awareness and prevention for over 20 years.  To honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a limited edition of the simple and sleek Samsung Gusto will be available in purple online at www.verizonwireless.com on Oct. 1 and will be free after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement for the month of October.  Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

"Verizon has a long history of raising awareness of domestic violence and taking action," said Sue Else, president of NNEDV.  "The HopeLine program and Verizon's generous donations help us go a step further in spreading the word about domestic violence and helping victims during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and beyond."

Since the launch of the HopeLine phone recycling program in 2001, HopeLine from Verizon has collected more than 7 million phones, given out more than $7.9 million in cash grants, and distributed more than 90,000 phones with more than 300 million minutes of free wireless service for use by domestic violence survivors.  In addition, Verizon has properly disposed of 1.6 million no-longer-used wireless phones in an environmentally sound way and kept more than 200 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills.  Learn more at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnkDUsmkQlk.  For more information about HopeLine from Verizon and to learn how to organize a HopeLine drive during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, go to www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational website, Verizon Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org), and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence.  In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded $67.9 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad.  It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $26.1 million in combined contributions to nonprofits.  Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 5 million hours of community service since 2000.  For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 92 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.  

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SOURCE Verizon Wireless