The Abused Adult Resource Center Of Bismarck-Mandan In North Dakota Receives A $7,500 Grant From Verizon Wireless To Help Children And Promote Abuse Prevention In The Community

BISMARCK, ND — The Abused Adult Resource Center (AARC) of Bismarck-Mandan received a $7,500 grant today at a special luncheon in Bismarck organized to promote participation in PULSE, a community task force developed by AARC to focus on violence prevention. The grant from the HopeLine® from Verizon program was announced by North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem.

The grant will be used to provide activities for children in AARC’s shelters as well as promoting prevention of domestic violence in the Bismarck-Mandan community. Children exposed to domestic violence are affected on all levels, especially in their ability to concentrate and focus on learning in school as well as all other settings. Funding from the grant will go toward providing activities for children who are homeless as a result of domestic violence and are living with their families in AARC’s shelters (Pam's House or the Diane Zainhofsky Hope House). The activities that will support this growth will be varied to meet all levels of individual interest, age and health.

“We are happy to continue our partnership with Verizon Wireless through its HopeLine program,” said Diane Zainhofsky, AARC executive director. “This grant will help ensure that children in our shelters have activities that help to feel better about themselves and their families. We are very grateful for this support from Verizon Wireless.”

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said he applauded Verizon Wireless for stepping in to partner with AARC. “Through the activities funded by this grant, children will be able to experience what other children do,” Stenehjem said. “Through these activities, these children will have a better chance to overcome the violence they have seen and move on with their family to a successful life.”

Verizon Wireless is continuing its partnership with AARC to collect no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories, in any condition, from any wireless service provider at over 20 collection sites in Bismarck and Mandan. Phones that can be refurbished are sold for reuse and those without value are disposed of in an environmentally sound way. All proceeds benefit non-profit shelters and organizations that focus on domestic violence awareness and prevention. Over the last five years, North Dakotans have donated more than 17,600 phones to HopeLine and since the program began more then 7 million phones have been recycled or refurbished nationwide.

About the AARC
AARC is a private nonprofit that serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in a seven-county area in south-central North Dakota. For more information about the agency or its services, call 222-8370. In 2009, AARC safely sheltered 127 abused women and 112 children. In addition, AARC also served 1,178 new victims of domestic violence affecting 1,569 children last year.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: 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.

####