Verizon Wireless Awards More Than $60,000 To Southern California Domestic Violence Prevention Programs

IRVINE, CA — Verizon Wireless announced today the names of 10 domestic violence prevention agencies in Southern California that received HopeLineSMgrants as a part of the company's community giving during October, recognized as National Domestic Violence Prevention Month. Verizon Wireless' HopeLine program incorporates grants and phone recycling to benefit victims of domestic violence.

Totaling $62,747, the HopeLine grants were awarded to the following non-profit domestic violence advocacy organizations:

• Los Angeles City Commission on the Status of Women (Los Angeles County) - Women's Organization's and Services Directory that provides critical information such as rape and domestic violence hotlines, how to obtain a restraining order, shelter, legal services, housing and homeless services and other vital resources; $10,000
• Human Options (Orange County) - public education campaign that includes a newsletter and seminars aimed at raising awareness about domestic violence in Orange County; $10,000
• Interval House (Orange County) - housing and legal services for ethnically diverse and underserved women who are also victims of domestic violence; $7,500
• Center for Family Solutions (Imperial County) - abuse prevention education materials and instructors for battered women and their children; $5,247
• Foothill Family Shelter (San Bernardino County) - transitional assistance and education services for battered women returning to school; $5,000
• Palomar Pomerado Health Foundation (San Diego County) - safety, medical treatment, counseling, forensic exams, advocacy and legal assistance for victims suffering from domestic violence; $5,000
• Barbara Sinatra Children's Center (Riverside County) - support counseling, treatment and therapy for abused children; $5,000
• Valley Family Center (San Fernando Valley) - case management services, professional individual and family counseling, and support groups for victims; $5,000
• Family Counseling Services (San Gabriel Valley) - treatment, case management and safe alternative services for victimized women who work, and their children; $5,000
• Jenessee Center (Los Angeles County) - domestic violence intervention services for residents of south central Los Angeles; $5,000

"Domestic abuse is an epidemic that affects every community in Southern California. It can impact our neighbors, friends and co-workers," said Greg Klimek, Verizon Wireless' Southern California Regional President. "Verizon Wireless remains committed to preventing domestic violence in Southern California and throughout the nation." Since HopeLine was launched nationally in 2001, Verizon Wireless has awarded more than $275,000 to non-profit domestic violence shelters and programs throughout California and more than $600,00 to such organizations in the western United States. Through HopeLine, the company has also donated more than 1,100 wireless phones with airtime throughout the western states to social services and law enforcement agencies to assist victims of domestic violence. Nationally, Verizon Wireless has donated more than 4,000 such phones through HopeLine.

The HopeLine program, exclusive to the company, directly benefits victims of domestic violence by collecting previously owned wireless handsets and refurbishes, recycles and/or sells them. Verizon Wireless then donates all the proceeds to non-profit domestic violence advocacy organizations and/or purchases cellular phones for victims. Verizon Wireless has a longstanding partnership with the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) and provides thousands of dollars in support of the non-profit's National Workplace Resource Center on Domestic Violence. With the FVPF, Verizon Wireless is a founding participant in the Corporate Citizenship Initiative (CCI), a first-of-its-kind national project that develops workplace-based programs to stop domestic violence.

Verizon Wireless encourages customers who are upgrading their wireless phones, or changing carriers, to participate in its exclusive HopeLine phone-recycling program. Phones that cannot be salvaged are scrapped are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Wireless phones and equipment donations not dropped off at a Verizon Wireless store may be sent to:

HopeLine Program
c/o Verizon Wireless
1776 East Ellsworth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

For more information about HopeLine, customers can call 1-800-426-2790 between the hours of 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM EST Monday through Saturday, and between 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST on Sunday. Tax receipts are available. Customers can also visit the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 31.5 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com.

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