Verizon Wireless to Present First "Invest in Yourself" Seminar in Spanish at New Jersey's Bergen Family Center

HACKENSACK, NJ — Continuing its commitment to domestic violence prevention and awareness, Verizon Wireless this week (April 9, 2003) will present a job training program to help Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence develop and hone the skills they need to compete for jobs in today's marketplace. The program will be held at the Bergen Family Center in Hackensack and for the first time, it will be offered exclusively in Spanish in the New York Metro Area.

Called "Invest in Yourself," the program consists of seminars that focus on employment topics, such as interviewing, communications, networking and preparing effective resumes. Verizon Wireless female executives with experience in human resources, marketing and management offer the seminars, which are based on the company's self-development course curriculum for employees, on an agency's premises.

The program, created by Annette Lowther, the company's associate director of Human Resources in the New York/New Jersey Metro Region, has served as a model for similar programs offered to domestic violence victims across the Northeast by local Verizon Wireless employees.

"For victims of domestic violence, beginning a job search is one of the first steps toward rebuilding their lives," Lowther said. "By making these seminars available in Spanish as well as English, we hope to break down some of the barriers these women face and equip them with the skills needed to land a job and become more independent."

Domestic violence prevention and education is Verizon Wireless' chief community focus. In addition to the employment seminar, Verizon Wireless recently supported the Bergen Family Center through its Hopeline^SM Phone Recycling Program. County residents were invited to drop off their no longer used wireless phones during March at the company's four Communications Stores in Paramus. For each phone collected, Verizon Wireless will donate $5 to the Bergen Family Center.

Through its HopeLine Recycling Program, the company collects used wireless phones to be recycled or sold. Proceeds are donated to domestic violence advocacy groups or used to purchase phones for victims. As a result of HopeLine and related phone recycling programs the company has organized since 1995, Verizon Wireless has collected more than 940,000 used wireless phones for the benefit of domestic violence victims, including nearly 60,000 wireless handsets in the New York Metro area. Donations are accepted at all 66 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the New York Metro area. For store locations and additional information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

Domestic violence advocacy groups interested in scheduling a seminar or more information may call 845-429-3839.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 32.5 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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