$30,000 in Domestic Violence Prevention Grants Awarded in D.C., Maryland and Virginia by Verizon Wireless

Full Transparency

Our editorial transparency tool uses blockchain technology to permanently log all changes made to official releases after publication.

More of our content is being permanently logged via blockchain technology starting [10.23.2020].

Learn more

LAUREL, MD — An innovative Prince George's County program to reach domestic violence victims through movie theater advertising, and a DC program to provide domestic violence victims with the tools they need to achieve financial independence are among those chosen to receive grants from the Verizon Wireless HopeLine® program. In total, Verizon Wireless is awarding $30,000 in HopeLine phone-recycling grants in the region to help fund six domestic violence prevention projects — two in the District of Columbia, two in Maryland and two in Virginia.

The $5,000 grant to the Family Crisis Center of Prince George's County will be used to produce domestic violence prevention advertisements to be shown in Prince George's County movie theaters. The ads will include a hotline phone number as well as information encouraging victims to seek help. Prince George's County has the unfortunate distinction of having the largest number of protective orders filed in Maryland. In D.C., Second Chance Employment Services will use the $5,000 grant to conduct free financial literacy workshops for victims, including sessions on responsible money management — credit building, credit repair, creating a savings plans — and one-on-one coaching for clients.

The grants were made possible by Verizon Wireless's HopeLine phone-recycling program, which collects no-longer-used wireless phones to be refurbished, recycled or sold; proceeds are donated to domestic violence advocacy groups or used to purchase wireless phones with airtime for emergency use by victims. The six programs selected were chosen from more than 80 applicants.

Additional Grant Winners — District of Columbia
The $5,000 grant to DC's Ayuda will be used to construct and furnish a new Victim Interview Room and adjacent children's play area at Ayuda's new facility on Kalorama Rd. Ayuda provides immigration, family law and social services to low-income victims of domestic violence in the DC metro area.

Additional Grant Winners -- Maryland
The $5,000 grant to the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County will be used to fund a taxi program so domestic violence victims and their children can reach the safety of the Center's shelter. Frequently, victims of domestic violence are forced to leave an abusive relationship on a moment's notice − often at night − when public transportation is not readily available.

Additional Grant Winners -- Virginia
The $5,000 grant to Richmond's Virginia Poverty Law Center will allow the Center to conduct a series of seven trainings across the state, focusing on civil legal issues affecting domestic violence victims.

The $5,000 grant to the Women's Resource Center of the New River Valley in Radford, Va., will be used to fund an after-school tutoring program for children and youth and a dinner planning program to help women residing at the Center's domestic violence shelter plan nutritious, economical meals.

As a result of HopeLine and related phone recycling programs the company has organized since 1995, Verizon Wireless has collected more than 2.5 million wireless phones for the benefit of domestic violence victims and advocacy groups. Phones are accepted for recycling at all 1,200 company retail locations across the country. All wireless phone models, batteries and chargers from any carrier are accepted. For store locations and additional information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 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 preview and request 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.

####

Related Articles

02/15/2021

Virtual Reality (VR) has begun to transform medicine in profound ways. VR solutions are being used to train doctors and to plan and practice operations.

10/23/2020

Verizon’s military discounts site shows everything you need to know about Wireless offers, FiOS savings and military career opportunities, all in one place, making it simple for service members and veterans to discover what Verizon has to offer.