Verizon and Professional Football Player William Gay Team Up for New HopeLine Campaign

Today in New York City, Verizon’s HopeLine program and professional football player William Gay officially launched a campaign inspiring consumers to take action against domestic violence. Verizon released a new PSA portraying William’s personal experience with domestic violence and announced their goal of reaching one million phones donated to HopeLine by the end of 2015.

The emotional piece chronicles William’s childhood journey, forever marked by the moment his stepfather killed his mother when he was 7 years old. Together, William and HopeLine are asking people across the nation to take action against domestic violence by visiting any local Verizon store and donating no-longer-used wireless devices, batteries, chargers and accessories to support victims and survivors of domestic violence.

For the 1 out of 3 Americans affected by abuse, a phone can do more than make a simple call. It can serve as a vital link to support services in times of crisis and help keep a private line of communication to family, friends and employers.  By donating your old phone, you can join Verizon in supporting domestic violence prevention and awareness organizations nationwide. Wireless phones from any wireless provider, in any condition, can be donated at a Verizon Wireless store, through a HopeLine phone drive, or via mail. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Erase any data from the phone and disconnect the device's service with your wireless provider.
2. Remove any storage cards (microSD, etc.) and SIM cards from the phone, and be sure to include any travel chargers or other accessories that came with the device that you no longer need.
3. Turn the phone's power off.
4. Make sure the phone's batteries are installed in the phone. Please do not include any loose batteries.
5. If you're mailing in the phone and accessories, pack them and seal the package securely. Print out the postage-paid label provided on our HopeLine website (with your return address filled in) and attach it to the box or envelope. Then just drop it in the mail with our postage-paid label available at verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel.

Launched in 2001, HopeLine® from Verizon puts the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless network to work in communities and support domestic violence prevention and awareness programs and organizations.  Wireless phones donated to HopeLine are refurbished and recycled in an environmentally-safe way, with proceeds going towards the financial support of domestic violence awareness and prevention initiatives.  Verizon also donates wireless phones, complete with service and data, to local domestic violence shelters and non-profit organizations and agencies for use by victims and survivors.

To see William’s emotional story and to learn more about how to take action, please visit: www.verizon.com/about/hopeline