Domestic Violence Survivors Get A HopeLine From Verizon In California

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Verizon and The Women's Conference hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are teaming up to help curb domestic violence. Verizon has invited Women's Conference attendees to recycle no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories to benefit survivors of domestic violence through the Verizon Wireless HopeLine® program. HopeLine booths will be located near the entrance to the Long Beach Convention Center during The Women's Conference 2009 on October 26-27. HopeLine collection boxes will also be located at the Verizon booth in the exhibit hall.

"We are thrilled to be a part of The Women's Conference 2009," said Tami Erwin, Verizon Wireless area president. "By simply donating old, no longer used wireless phones, conference attendees can help make difference in an epidemic that affects one in three American women during their lifetime."

Through the HopeLine phone recycling program, no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories from any wireless service provider are collected. Phones are either refurbished or recycled in an environmentally friendly way. Proceeds from HopeLine are used to award grants and to donate wireless phones with prepaid airtime to local shelters and non-profit organizations to aid survivors of domestic violence.

Verizon Wireless has collected nearly 6.5 million phones since 2001 and provided more than 80,000 phones with 240 million minutes of service to domestic violence victims, thanks to the generosity of consumers and businesses who have recycled phones through HopeLine.

The HopeLine program also includes #HOPE, which can be dialed from any Verizon Wireless handset to immediately connect to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline provides professional support and referrals to people involved in domestic violence, as well as those who want to help friends and family. The call to #HOPE is toll- and airtime-free.

Wireless phones and equipment can be donated to the HopeLine program year-round at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store across the country. For additional information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit 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 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country. For additional information, customers can also visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

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