Verizon Wireless and The Green Bay Packers Connect For Domestic Violence Prevention

GREEN BAY, WI — In an effort to help fight domestic violence in Wisconsin, Verizon Wireless is once again teaming up with the Green Bay Packers to help provide protection where it is needed most-off the field.

Verizon Wireless will again donate $25 to local domestic violence shelters and organizations for every point scored by the Packers throughout the 2004-05 NFL season. The program, called "Protection Is the Name of the Game," originated in 2001 and has raised more than $20,000 to date for domestic violence shelters and organizations in the state of Wisconsin.

More than a dozen domestic violence shelters and prevention organizations in the Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee areas will benefit from the 2004-05 program. Funds will be distributed weekly to designated domestic violence organizations, the amount dependent upon the number of points scored by the Packers during the game played the preceding weekend.

So far this year, the program has resulted in a payout of $2,475, benefiting four Milwaukee-based domestic violence agencies-Sojourner Truth House, Task Force on Family Violence, and ASHA Family Services-as well as the Family Violence Center in Green Bay.

"Protection is the Name of the Game" is part of Verizon Wireless' ongoing, award-winning program called HopeLine^SM, which focuses primarily on preventing domestic violence and increasing community awareness of this national issue.

"Domestic violence is a very real threat to families and individuals across the state of Wisconsin," said Tracy Nolan, president—Wisconsin/Illinois Region, Verizon Wireless. "We thank the Green Bay Packers for taking a stand with us against domestic violence and hope that, as a team, we can enhance awareness of this national epidemic, provide support to those affected and ultimately put an end to it."

As the official wireless service provider of the Green Bay Packers, Verizon Wireless also has joined forces with the team in other initiatives supporting domestic violence awareness and prevention. These include:

• a phone-recycling drive at Lambeau Field prior to the October 11 Monday Night Football Game, hosted by Verizon Wireless and the Packers. More than 400 no-longer-used wireless phones were collected; most of which will be refurbished or sold with the proceeds used to purchase newer wireless phones for domestic violence survivors and to support area domestic violence shelters and organizations, including those in Wisconsin.
• a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) produced by Verizon Wireless and featuring Marco Rivera and his wife, Michelle, to build awareness for and reduce instances of domestic violence throughout Wisconsin. The PSA is being shown on the Lambeau Field jumbotron during each Packers home game.

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.

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