Verizon Wireless Collects More Than 2 Million Phones; Donates More Than $5 Million to Help Victims of Domestic Violence

BEDMINSTER, NJ — Since 2001, when Verizon Wireless launched its HopeLine^SM phone recycling program, the company has collected more than 2 million phones, which were recycled, refurbished or sold with all proceeds benefiting victims of domestic violence. Verizon Wireless has also donated more than $5 million worth of wireless phones, equipment, service and monetary donations to charitable causes from January 2002 to June 2004. Now, in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, Verizon Wireless is issuing a call to action to wireless customers everywhere to help make a difference in their communities by donating a no-longer-used wireless phone to HopeLine.

In the past 12 months alone, consumers donated more than 647,000 phones to HopeLine — an almost 40 percent increase from the previous 12 months, in which 437,000 phones were collected. In addition, Verizon Wireless has donated $1.3 million to domestic violence shelters and advocacy organizations in the first half of 2004.

"Domestic violence is a social disease, one that effects people in every community, in every financial situation," said Denny Strigl, president and CEO of Verizon Wireless. "For years, Verizon Wireless has been helping raise awareness of domestic violence and investing in the cause. When you donate your phone to HopeLine, you are giving a victim a lifeline — so we encourage wireless customers everywhere, regardless of carrier, to donate their phones and make a difference in their communities."

"HopeLine is proof that even small efforts made by people, such as donating an old phone, can help make a major difference," said Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler. "Verizon Wireless is an extraordinary example of a corporation using its resources to help improve the community, and I hope each individual and corporation will follow in their footsteps by taking a stand against domestic violence."

The U.S. Department of Justice's 2001 Report of Violence Against Women reports that 1 in 3 women will experience domestic or sexual violence in her lifetime. Through HopeLine, Verizon Wireless collects phones and refurbishes or recycles them, with all proceeds benefiting domestic violence victims. Verizon Wireless uses the funds to provide wireless phones with free airtime to victims via local shelters, giving them a literal lifeline to emergency personnel. Since 1995, the company has devoted its resources to raising awareness and encouraging prevention of domestic violence. In 2001, the company began the phone recycling efforts, which have generated more than 2 million phones from consumers to date.

"The program saves lives. Very simply, many isolated victims would have no way of seeking help without the phones provided to us by Verizon Wireless," said Linda Slutter of Turning Point for Families, which runs domestic violence prevention programs in Hawaii.

"The phones have helped give women their lives back. The phones give a resource to women who think things are hopeless," said Sue Else of Hope House, a domestic violence shelter in Missouri.

In addition to phone collections and monetary donations, Verizon Wireless has partnered with several national and local organizations including the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the National Domestic Violence Hotline. All Verizon Wireless customers can use their wireless phones to dial #H-O-P-E for a toll- and airtime-free connection to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Wireless phones and equipment donations can be donated at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store or sent to:

Verizon Wireless HopeLine
c/o ReCellular Inc.
2555 Bishop Circle W.
Dexter, MI 48130

For additional information, please visit 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 40.4 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.  To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless.  

About HopeLine
The Verizon Wireless HopeLine program collects phones of any wireless carrier and refurbishes or recycles them with all proceeds benefiting victims of domestic violence. The environmentally friendly HopeLine Program puts wireless services and equipment to work to assist victims in emergency domestic violence situations. Donations are accepted at all 1,200-plus Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country. For additional information, customers can also visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.  

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