Verizon Wireless Donates $28,800 to Domestic Violence Shelters, Programs in 2001 in Alabama and Tennessee

NASHVILLE, TN — Since January 2001, Verizon Wireless has contributed $28,800 to domestic violence programs or shelters in Alabama and Tennessee.

In addition to the monetary donations, Verizon Wireless has refurbished almost 2,000 cell phones in 2001 for domestic violence causes and collected goods in its retail stores throughout the MidSouth region.

"Domestic violence is an issue that we at Verizon Wireless hold close to our hearts," said Gingi Lanius, Verizon Wireless' associate director of marketing communications in the MidSouth. "We reach out to the women and children in local shelters throughout the year and remind everyone to think about them especially during October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month."

As part of Verizon Wireless' commitment to this issue, all Verizon Wireless store grand openings in these states are coupled with a $500 donation to a local shelter.

"Verizon Wireless wants to help spread the word that domestic violence affects people from all regions, races and economic backgrounds and that's why we're so committed to these programs, " Lanius said.

Consider these sobering statistics:

• By conservative estimates, 1.5 million women in the United States are assaulted by their intimate partners every year. (Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey)
• In the U.S., a woman is more likely to be assaulted, injured, raped or killed by a male partner than by any other type of assault. (Bureau of Justice statistics Special Report: Violence Against Women)
• Most domestic violence is not reported to the police. Only one-fourth of all physical assaults against women by intimates were reported to police. (NVAW Survey)
• Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between ages 15 and 44 in the United States - more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. (Uniform Crime Reports)
• Nearly one in three adult women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood. (American Psychological Association)

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 28.7 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless and PrimeCo Personal Communications. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 97 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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