Local New Jersey Legislator Supports Wireless Phone Recycling Drive to Benefit Victims of Domestic Violence

TEANECK, NJ — Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg today announced her support of the Verizon Wireless HopeLine^SM phone recycling program that benefits victims of domestic violence. During the month of July, Weinberg is encouraging residents to bring their old, no longer used wireless phones to the legislator's district office at 545 Cedar Lane in Teaneck. Phones also may be dropped off at local Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in Paramus at 469 Route 17 South, 341 Route 4 West, and at The Garden State Plaza and Paramus Park Mall.

"The HopeLine phone recycling program is an easy way for community-minded citizens to support local domestic violence organizations as they help abused women re-build their lives," said Weinberg. "Domestic violence does not discriminate; it's all around us in places most of us would never imagine. Citizens who support the program could very well be helping their own friends or neighbors."

Verizon Wireless will support the recycling effort by donating 25 wireless phones to Shelter Our Sisters, a non-profit agency serving victims of domestic violence in Bergen County. The phones will be specially programmed to dial 9-1-1 and 201-944-9600, the agency's hotline. Shelter Our Sisters will distribute the phones to families at risk.

Domestic violence prevention and education is Verizon Wireless' chief community focus. Through the HopeLine phone recycling program, the company collects no-longer-used phones to be refurbished, recycled or sold. Proceeds are donated to domestic violence advocacy groups or used to purchase new phones for victims. Phones that are collected and cannot be refurbished are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

"No offense shakes individual security more than violence in the home," said Charles Hand, president of Verizon Wireless' New York Metro Region. "At Verizon Wireless, we continue to be humbled by the strength of domestic violence survivors and proud to provide them with resources that can help them rebuild their lives."

All wireless phone models from any carrier are accepted for recycling. Since 1995, Verizon Wireless has collected more than one million wireless phones for the benefit of domestic violence victims, including more than 60,000 in the New York metro area. Phones are collected at all 1,200 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country. For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.  

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 33.3 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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