Verizon Wireless And Appalachian State University In North Carolina Conduct Campus-Wide Cell Phone Drive To Help Victims Of Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault

BOONE, NC — One out of every seven women is assaulted on college campuses every year. In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Verizon Wireless and Appalachian State University are announcing a campus-wide phone drive to take place March 14 through April 15, 2005, to create awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence.

There will be a phone collection competition among campus organizations, to benefit Verizon Wireless' national Hopeline^SM program, a phone-recycling program that provides used wireless phones to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Verizon Wireless will donate $5 for each phone collected, to ASU's Sexual Assault Awareness program. Special recognition and prizes will be awarded to the group that collects the most phones.

Verizon Wireless created the HopeLine program, which is now entering its tenth year, to put wireless products and services to work to combat domestic violence and raise awareness of the issue. The HopeLine program includes a phone recycling and re-use effort, financial support for regional and national non-profit domestic violence organizations, community and corporate awareness programs, and partnerships with law enforcement agencies, professional sports teams, educational institutions and corporations nationwide.

"Working with a large organization like Verizon Wireless allows us to build more awareness about sexual assault among the student population while emphasizing sexual assault programs during Sexual Assault Awareness Month," says Suzette Patterson, Appalachian State University's Sexual Assault Awareness Coordinator. "With the HopeLine phone drive, we are able to effectively create and coordinate cooperative rape prevention efforts and promote programs to increase awareness of sex offenses on our campus and within our community."

"Sexual assault and domestic violence is a real issue for college-aged students, and Verizon Wireless is committed to raising awareness about an issue that knows no social or economic boundaries and can affect people in any community," said Jerry Fountain, President of the Carolinas/Tennessee Region of Verizon Wireless. "In 2004, consumers donated three-quarters of a million phones to HopeLine, up more than 35 percent from the previous year, and bringing the total to nearly two million phones since the national phone collection and recycling efforts began in 2001."

"We are excited to be working with Verizon Wireless — a company that uses its creativity and resources in a dedicated effort to help educate our college students about the seriousness of domestic violence and sexual assault," adds Suzette Patterson.

Wireless phones and equipment can be donated to the HopeLine program at more than 1,200 Verizon Wireless Communications Store across the country.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data 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 www.verizonwireless.com. To receive 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.  

About HopeLine
Verizon Wireless, a recognized corporate leader in the fight against domestic violence, works to combat domestic violence and raise awareness of the issue through the company's HopeLine program. Marking its 10th year in 2005, HopeLine today collects wireless phones and accessories from any wireless service provider, and then refurbishes the phones or recycles them in an environmentally friendly way. Proceeds from the HopeLine program benefit victims of domestic violence and non-profit advocacy agencies, providing essential communication tools of wireless phones and wireless services, and financial grants. Phone donations are accepted at all 1,200-plus Verizon Wireless Stores across the country. For additional information, please visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.  

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