Verizon Wireless Awards Over $43,000 In Hopeline Grants To Asian-American Organizations

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Verizon Wireless will mark the awarding of over $43,000 in grants through its HopeLine^® program with a ceremony honoring three San Francisco Bay Area community-based organizations working to aid victims of domestic violence and promote prevention awareness in the Asian-American community. San Francisco Police Chief, Heather Fong will assist in presenting the HopeLine awards to the Asian Women's Shelter, Asian Americans for Community Involvement and Chinese Community Health Resource Center at a ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 at R&G Lounge in San Francisco.

"Domestic violence poses special risks within the Asian-American community. Limited by language and cultural barriers, victims are isolated, often unable or even unwillingly too seek help," said Beckie Masaki, executive director of Asian Women's Shelter. "We are determined to reach them. With the help of Verizon Wireless' HopeLine grants, we will continue to improve the mental and physical health and safety of our community."

Verizon Wireless' HopeLine Program collects no-longer-used phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless service providers at its Communications Stories nationwide to be recycled or refurbished. In turn, the proceeds are used to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness. Since the program began in 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 4 million phones, distributed more than 45,000 phones with airtime and other features valued at more than $13 million to be used by domestic violence victims, and awarded millions in cash grants. Phones that cannot be refurbished are recycled in an environmentally safe way.

This year in California, Verizon Wireless has awarded more than $400,000 in grants, and donated nearly 1,400 phones and more than 4 million minutes of use to domestic violence agencies.

"Verizon Wireless is committed to supporting domestic violence prevention and raising awareness of the issue" says Rich Garwood, regional president of Verizon Wireless. "We are committed to putting the nation's most reliable wireless networks to work in our communities, and to helping domestic violence survivors connect with employers, family and friends as they rebuild their lives."

How to Donate
Verizon Wireless accepts used wireless phones and equipment from any carrier at its Communications Stores nationwide. For information about where to send phones or how to organize a collection, please visit: www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.  

#HOPE
By dialing #HOPE (#4673), then pressing the send button on any Verizon Wireless phone, callers will be connected directly to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, where they can receive the confidential help they need through empowerment-based crisis intervention, information and resources. The call is toll and airtime free.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 63.7 million customers. The largest U.S. wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 68,000 employees nationwide. The company 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.  

About HopeLine^®
Verizon Wireless encourages customers who are upgrading their wireless phone to participate in its exclusive HopeLine phone-recycling program. The national HopeLine program distributes previously owned wireless phones to victims of domestic violence, supports non-profit domestic violence advocacy groups and provides an environmentally safe method of recycling phones. Donations are accepted at any Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country. For additional information, customers can also visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.  

About the Asian Women's Shelter (AWS)
The mission of the Asian Women's Shelter (AWS) is to eliminate domestic violence by promoting the social, economic, and political self-determination of women. AWS is committed to every person's right to live in a violence-free home. It specifically addresses the cultural and language needs of immigrant, refugee, and U.S.-born Asian women and their children. AWS's perspective is reflected in the agency's broad strategy, which integrates culturally knowledgeable and language-accessible shelter services, educational programs, and community-based initiatives and advocacy.

About Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)
Focusing on the diverse Asian American community, AACI's mission is to improve the health, mental health, and well-being of individuals and their families by providing an array of human services. AACI empowers the Asian American community by working collaboratively for equality and social justice. www.aaci.org

About Chinese Community Health Resource Center (CCHRC)
The Chinese Community Health Resource Center (CCHRC) was established in 1989 as a private, non-profit community center by the Chinese Community Health Care Association (a physicians' independent practice association), Chinese Community Health Plan, and Chinese Hospital. The Center's mission is to build a healthy community through culturally and linguistically competent preventive health, disease management, and research programs. Since its inception, the Chinese community of the San Francisco Bay Area has come to recognize CCHRC as a leader and principal source of culturally competent health education programs.

####