Verizon Wireless Phone Drive Celebrates Earth Day And Benefits Domestic Violence Survivors In Nebraska

LINCOLN, NE — In celebration of Earth Day (April 22), Nebraskans with no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories are encouraged donate them, in any condition, to Verizon Wireless' HopeLine® recycling program.

In Lancaster County, for every wireless phone donated to the HopeLine program between April 22 and June 30, Verizon Wireless will make a contribution to Friendship Home — a 24-hour emergency shelter for battered women and their children in Lincoln.

Through the company's award-winning HopeLine program, Verizon Wireless collects wireless phones and accessories from any wireless service provider. Most of the donated phones and accessories are refurbished and sold with proceeds going to support domestic violence awareness and prevention programs. Any remaining phones are recycled in an environmentally sound way.

Residents and area businesses can donate handsets, batteries and accessories at the Verizon Wireless Communications Store located at the Gateway Mall, 6100 O St. and at drop-off boxes at participating businesses and organizations throughout Lincoln and Lancaster County. A list of drop-off locations is available online at www.friendshiphome.org under the About Us tab. Volunteers from local chapters of Kiwanis International will collect the equipment from the drop-off locations.

"An old wireless phone can be priceless to someone, rather than trash headed for a landfill," said Nancy B. Clark, president — Great Plains region, Verizon Wireless. "Earth Day is a perfect opportunity to encourage people to pull those used wireless phones off the dusty shelves and out of the junk drawers so they can be put to good use."

"Verizon Wireless has established a long-standing commitment to help survivors of domestic violence through in-kind donations and public service campaigns," said Amy Evans, executive director of Friendship Home. "This HopeLine drive is a simple way for everyone who uses a wireless phone to help survivors of domestic abuse, right here in Lancaster County."

Nationwide, a record 1,068,000 wireless phones were donated to HopeLine in 2007, resulting in donations of more than $1.7 million in cash grants and more than 20,000 HopeLine phones with free wireless service to domestic violence agencies. During 2007, Nebraskans contributed more than 4,000 no-longer-used wireless phones to the recycling program. Phones are collected at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores year-round. For more information, visit the Web at www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 65.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: 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 Friendship Home
Formed in 1978, Friendship Home is Lincoln's specialized emergency and transitional shelter program for battered women and their children. For women in the community who are exploring the possibility of leaving violent homes, and for those who have left and are now homeless, Friendship Home offers a comprehensive array of services designed to address both domestic violence and homelessness. In 2007, Friendship Home served more than 1,400 women and children through its various programs and services. For crisis line services, a trained advocate is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at (402) 437-9302. Main number (402) 434-0167.

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