Verizon Wireless to Support Domestic Violence Agency by Sponsoring Quilt National Preview Party

ST. LOUIS, MO — Verizon Wireless expands its commitment to the issue of domestic violence prevention and awareness by pledging $8,000 to sponsor this year's Quilt National preview party to be held Sunday, Oct. 19, at City Museum, 710 North 15th Street.

Quilt National is a biennial, international, juried and judged quilt art competition created by three women from Athens, Ohio. For the past 22 years, its purpose has been to broaden the perception of fiber art, and to carry the definition of quilting far beyond its traditional parameters by promoting quilt making as an art form.

Women's Support and Community Services, a locally based domestic violence advocacy organization, is hosting Quilt National bi annually as a means to raise financial support for its programs. This is the ninth time the agency has brought the show to the St. Louis community. Its goal is to raise $100,000 at this year's event.

"Verizon Wireless is pleased to underwrite Women's Support and Community Services' Quilt National preview party," said Mark Crumpton, regional president for Verizon Wireless. "Our contribution will allow the agency to direct the full amount of its 400-plus individual contributions toward crisis intervention, counseling and prevention education services. This donation furthers our commitment to support agencies finding solutions to domestic violence."

In addition to sponsoring the party, Verizon Wireless also is donating 100 hands-free headsets to Women's Support and Community Services. The headsets, compatible with wireless phones and most cordless home phones, will be used by staff and trained community volunteers to answer the agency's 24-hour crisis line. The crisis line responds to an average of 12,000 calls a year.

The preview party offers individual supporters, who have donated $250 or more, a first peek at this year's collection of fiber art. Quilt National officially opens to the general public on October 20 and continues through November 30.

"Quilt National and Women's Support and Community Services share the goal of acknowledging women's skills and affording them the recognition they deserve," said Barbara Bennett, executive director of Women's Support and Community Services. "This project is truly a matter of women helping other women through what has traditionally been women's art."

Verizon Wireless has long had a relationship with Women's Support and Community Services. The organization participates in the company's HopeLine^SM program, through which 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. Women's Support and Community Services currently provides HopeLine phones to victims of abuse to aid in emergencies and to help them get back on their feet after leaving an abusive situation.

"As October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it is a good time to help local victims of violence in the home," said Crumpton. "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.

For more information about Quilt National, please call Women's Support and Community Services at 314/646-7500.

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 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). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com.  

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