Michigan Domestic Violence Organizations, Other Community-Based Nonprofits To Benefit From Verizon Wireless Grant

LANSING, MI — Several domestic violence organizations and other community-based nonprofits across Michigan seeking to better understand and address the gap in domestic and sexual violence support for the lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, intersex and questioning (LBGTIQ) communities will benefit from a $4,410 donation made by Verizon Wireless to the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCADSV).

The grant will help fund the Lansing-based organization’s “I Am For Survivors” project. The initiative provides in-depth technical assistance and training to domestic violence and sexual assault providers as well as other community-based nonprofits that want to better serve LBGTIQ survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

“Domestic violence is a source of immense physical, mental and emotional suffering and can sometimes be a matter of life and death for victims,” said Mary Keefe, MCADSV executive director. “The ability of LBGTIQ survivors to easily access non-judgmental support services can mean the difference between finding support and staying in an abusive relationship.”

MCADSV is a statewide organization dedicated to the elimination of domestic and sexual violence in Michigan. The organization provides leadership, training and technical assistance to a network of more than 70 local service provider agencies and more than 200 allied organizations and individuals.

The Verizon Wireless donation was made in conjunction with the company’s HopeLine® program. This program provides funding to organizations that support domestic violence awareness and prevention and turns no-longer-used wireless phones into support for survivors of domestic violence.

HopeLine’s national phone recycling and reuse program collected nearly 1.13 million phones in 2008 and has collected more than 5.6 million wireless phones since 2001. Over the past four years, Michiganders have turned in 150,000 phones to Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine program. Last year, Verizon Wireless—along with the Verizon Foundation—donated more than $350,000 in cash grants, phones and airtime to shelters and other organizations in Michigan working to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families.

“I encourage everyone to dig through their closets, ask friends and family members for their used cell phones and accessories and donate this old equipment to our HopeLine program,” said Greg Haller, president–Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky Region, Verizon Wireless. “You can help make a difference in the lives of domestic violence and sexual assault survivors right here in Michigan.”

HopeLine wireless phone donations are accepted at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the nation. Verizon Wireless asks everyone who plans to give a phone to HopeLine to make sure service on it has been discontinued and all personal data have been erased. Phones given to the HopeLine program are refurbished and resold for reuse or disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.

For more information on Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine program, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving more than 86.6 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 86,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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