Missourians Donate 9,140 Phones In 2010 Through HopeLine® From Verizon

ST. LOUIS, MO — Last year, the Missouri region donated 9,140 no-longer-used wireless phones to HopeLine from Verizon, helping to support and put resources into the hands of those affected by domestic violence in Missouri.

HopeLine from Verizon puts the nation’s most reliable wireless network to work in the community by collecting no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider. Verizon Wireless and the HopeLine program provide wireless phones and airtime to victims of domestic violence and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention, awareness and advocacy. Phones that cannot be refurbished are recycled in an environmentally sound way under a zero-landfill policy.

“We are grateful to those in Missouri who donated their no-longer-used phones to HopeLine in 2010,” said Brenda Hill, public relations manager for Verizon Wireless. “Their actions are making a difference in the community and helping to support the families of Missouri affected by domestic violence, and we thank everyone who helped.”

Support for Missouri

The generosity of consumers and businesses that donated in Missouri enabled Verizon Wireless to award more than $74,000 in cash grants to local domestic violence agencies. A full list of domestic violence agencies that received grants:

• Polk County House of Hope, Bolivar
• Women's Crisis Center of Taney County, Branson
• Green Hills Community Action Agency, Chillicothe
• True North/The Shelter, Columbia
• Coalition Against Rape & Domestic Violence, Fulton
• Lafayette House, Joplin
• Rose Brook Center, Kansas City
• COPE, Inc, Lebanon
• Lighthouse Shelter, Inc. Marshall
• Child Advocacy Center of Southwest Missouri, Monett
• Family Violence Center, Springfield
• Christos House Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence, West Plains
• Synergy Services, Parkville
• Hope House, Lee’s Summit
• Safe Home, Johnson County
• Friends of Yates-Della Gill/Joyce H. Williams Center, Wyandotte County
• St. Martha’s, St. Louis City and County
• ALIVE, St. Louis County
• Kathy J. Weinman Shelter for Battered Women and Their Children, St. Louis County
• Lydia’s House, St. Louis City and County, St. Charles County
• Redevelopment Opportunities for Women, Inc., St. Louis City and County
• Safe Connections, St. Louis City and County
• The Women’s Safe House, St. Louis City and County
• Legal Advocates for Abused Women, St. Louis City and County
• Haven House, Inc., Poplar Bluff
• Comtrea Community Mental Health Center: A Safe Place Shelter, Festus
• Regional Family Crisis Center, Perryville
• Safe House for Women, Inc., Cape Girardeau

Additionally, Verizon Wireless teamed up with the St. Louis Blues to host a wireless phone recycling drive during the St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks game on March 30, 2010. That day, more than 300 no-longer-used phones were dropped into HopeLine® boxes at the entrances of the Scottrade Center.

Verizon Wireless’ National Commitment

Throughout 2010, HopeLine collected more than 1.1 million phones and awarded more than $2.1 million grants to nearly 450 domestic violence prevention and awareness programs. Moreover, through HopeLine, Verizon Wireless provided 25,392 phones with a total of 75 million free minutes of service to shelters and agencies nationwide for use by their clients.

Since 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 8 million phones; awarded more than $10 million in cash grants to prevention and awareness programs nationwide; and donated more than 106,000 HopeLine phones with 319 million minutes of airtime to victims, survivors and domestic violence organizations.

For more information on HopeLine from Verizon and to learn how to donate a wireless phone, visit www.verizonwireless.com/HopeLine.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, and serves more than 94 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 82,000 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.

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