Verizon Wireless Voicemail Service Assists Victims Of Domestic Violence

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — To help victims of domestic violence, Verizon Wireless today donated HopeLineSM voice mailboxes to Manavi, a community-based agency that addresses the special concerns of battered women of South Asian descent. Provided at no charge, HopeLine wireless voice mailboxes offer victims a vital link to the outside world, which acts as a building block to a productive, more secure future.

The wireless voice mailbox service acts like an answering machine and allows victims to receive and retrieve personal messages from potential employers, landlords and healthcare providers. With HopeLine voicemail, women can leave a call back number that protects their privacy because the phone number is not associated with a shelter. Victims who are still living in their own homes with the abusers also may use HopeLine voicemail as a secure means of communicating without the abuser's knowledge.

"No offense shakes individual security more than violence in the home, "said Charles Hand, president of Verizon Wireless' New York Metro Region. "At Verizon Wireless, we continue to be humbled by the strength of domestic violence survivors and proud to provide them with resources that can help them rebuild their lives."

Domestic violence prevention and education is Verizon Wireless' chief community focus. Through its signature program, HopeLine, the company provides voice mailboxes and emergency wireless phones at no charge to victims residing in shelters and to law enforcement agencies to distribute to women at risk. For additional information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

"Manavi's mission is to empower women of South Asian descent and to end violence against all women," said Shanti Wesley, counselor/Ashiana coordinator. "Hopeline is one more tool we can provide to our clients to help them break away from a violent existence." To find out more about Manavi and its services, visit www.manavi.org.

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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