Verizon Wireless Donates Wireless Phones And Hopeline® Voice Mail Service To Area Shelters At Everett Store Opening

EVERETT, MA — Verizon Wireless donated ten voice mail boxes and ten wireless phones, pre-programmed to dial 9-1-1, to local Everett shelters during a ceremony at the grand opening of their Everett Store, located in the Gateway Center Mall at 25 Mysticview Rd off Route 16 East. Sheryl Glants Pina is the Store Manager.

The wireless phones were donated to Portal To Hope, a battered women's program that works in conjunction with the Everett Police Department. The voice mail boxes were donated to the Tri-City Housing Taskforce for Homeless Families. "Verizon Wireless understands that domestic violence is an epidemic that devastates neighbors, friends and co-workers," said Robert Stott, President of Verizon Wireless' New England Region. "We will continue to dedicate our resources to both the prevention of domestic violence and the life rebuilding process."

Cathy Mainero, Executive Assistant at Tri-City accepted the donation on behalf of the shelter saying, "The donation of the HopeLine Program, means our members now have access to a personal voicemail box to better their chances for job placement, as well as a way of connecting with friends and family."

HopeLine is a charitable initiative developed by Verizon Wireless to provide individuals who do not have access to a personal phone line with free voice mail service. HopeLine provides homeless individuals or victims of domestic violence with a consistent point of contact and a means for communicating with prospective employers and landlords. In addition, the availability of a voice mailbox helps eliminate stigmas, protect identities, and keeps people in touch with their family, as well as medical and police protection services.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with 28 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless and PrimeCo Personal Communications. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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