Verizon Wireless, OSU Beavers Team Up To Provide HopeLine® For Survivors Of Domestic Violence

BEAVERTON, OR — Verizon Wireless is teaming up with the Oregon State Beavers for the fifth consecutive year to help curb domestic violence.

Fans attending the game against the Washington State Cougars on Saturday, November 13 at 1:00 pm are being encouraged to donate used wireless phones and accessories to benefit survivors of domestic violence through the HopeLine® from Verizon program. Drop boxes will be located around Reser Stadium entrances by 10:30 am; gates will open at 11:00 am.

"The HopeLine program is a source of great support for victims of domestic violence and the Oregon State Athletics Department is pleased to partner with Verizon Wireless," Bob De Carolis, OSU athletics director, said. "We ask our fans to support this worthwhile cause.”

Nationally, only about 10% of wireless phones are recycled each year. Through the HopeLine program, tons of electronic waste and batteries are kept from entering landfills – and used wireless phones, batteries and accessories from any service provider are then recycled, refurbished and sold. Verizon Wireless uses the proceeds to award grants and free wireless phones with airtime to non-profit human services and law enforcement agencies to aid survivors of domestic violence.

Last year, Oregonians donated more than 16,000 used phones to the Verizon Wireless HopeLine program. The used equipment collections resulted in $243,000 in Hopeline grants, wireless phones and airtime contributions benefitting 23 Oregon shelters and domestic violence education programs.

Since HopeLine’s national phone recycling and re-use program was launched nationwide in 2001, Verizon Wireless:

• Has collected more than 7 million phones
• Awarded more than $7.9 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies and organizations in the U.S.
• Distributed more than 90,000 phones with more than 300 million minutes of free airtime and other features valued at more than $24 million to be used by victims of domestic violence
• Properly disposed of more than 1.6 million no-longer-used wireless phones in an environmentally sound way
• Kept more than 200 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills

Wireless phones and equipment can be donated to the HopeLine program year-round at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store across the country.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 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.

####