Metropolitan Family Violence Coalition Receives $60,000 Grant from Verizon Wireless

OVERLAND PARK, KS — The Metropolitan Family Violence Coalition (MFVC), which represents six Kansas City-area domestic violence agencies, has been awarded a $60,000 grant from Verizon Wireless through the Verizon Foundation. Each agency will receive $10,000 to update technology needs, including computers, printers, software and technical support.

MFVC is comprised of Hope House, Joyce H. Williams Center, Newhouse, Rose Brooks Center, SAFEHOME, and Synergy Services. The agencies work together to provide support and services to victims of domestic violence in the bi-state region.

"Preventing domestic abuse is a priority for Verizon Wireless," said Mark Crumpton, president, Kansas/Missouri region Verizon Wireless. "We are pleased to provide the funds to the coalition, especially during October, which is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, to update its technology and in turn, provide safety for local victims of abuse in the home."

The Verizon Wireless grant will be used to install technology upgrades in each of the six agencies:

• Hope House: Hope House will receive 10 desktop computers to replace old computers that were not compatible with their main operating system. With two shelters located in Independence and Lee's Summit, Hope House is the largest battered women's shelter in the state of Missouri.
• Joyce H. Williams Center: The Joyce H. Williams Center is the only battered women's shelter in Wyandotte County and will receive six personal computers, five LCD monitors and three printers.
• Newhouse: Located in Kansas City, Missouri, Newhouse will receive five personal computers, five flat screen monitors and one printer.
• Rose Brooks Center: The Rose Brooks Center in urban Kansas City, Missouri will receive three Dell workstations, anti-virus maintenance and a software security system.
• SAFEHOME: SAFEHOME, the only shelter in Johnson County, will receive a server software upgrade, a wireless connection to their Children's Center, five networked computers and 12 Internet access.
• Synergy Services: Synergy Services has two shelters in Clay and Ray counties in Missouri and will receive four desktop computers and complete network support including configuration, installation, upgrades and monitoring of network and operating systems.

"We depend on the generosity of companies like Verizon Wireless and the Verizon Foundation," said Susan Miller, Rose Brooks Center executive director. "This grant allows us to address our urgent technology needs so we can provide the best services and shelter possible for our clients and their children."

Verizon Wireless has long had a relationship with the MFVC. Each shelter participates in the company's HopeLine^SM program. Through this exclusive program, Verizon Wireless puts its services and equipment to work to help prevent domestic violence. The company collects used phones to be refurbished or recycled and/or sold. With the funds raised from these sales, Verizon Wireless purchases wireless phones to donate with free local airtime to victims of domestic violence. The six shelters that comprise the MFVC currently use more than 170 HopeLine phones . The phones are used by victims of abuse in emergencies and to help them get back on their feet after leaving an abusive situation.

"Domestic Violence Awareness Month, is a good time to help local victims of violence in the home," said Cheryl Bini, regional community relations manager for Verizon Wireless. "We encourage area residents to stop by any Verizon Wireless store to donate old wireless phones to this important cause." Customers of any wireless carrier can donate no-longer-used phones to the HopeLine program.

About Metropolitan Family Violence Coalition (MFVC)
The Metropolitan Family Violence Coalition (MFVC) represents the six domestic violence agencies in the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area: Hope House, Joyce H. Williams Center, Newhouse, Rose Brooks Center, SAFEHOME, and Synergy Services. These agencies have worked together formally for the past six years in providing support and services to victims of domestic violence, and collaborated informally for many years prior. In addition to a metro-wide hotline, the agencies collaborate to identify resources in the community, improve service delivery, advocate for stronger legislation, and engage in fundraising and community-awareness initiatives.

About Verizon Wireless/Verizon Foundation
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 34.6 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). The Verizon Foundation supports programs that create innovative eSolutions, help bridge the digital divide, foster basic and computer literacy, help enrich our communities, and create a skilled workforce. Find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com and http://foundation.verizon.com.  

About HopeLine
The Verizon Wireless national HopeLine phone recycling program collects preciously owned wireless handsets to be refurbished, recycled and/or sold. As a result of HopeLine and related phone recycling programs the company has organized since 1995, Verizon Wireless has collected more than 947,000 used wireless phones for the benefit of domestic violence victims and advocacy groups.

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