Three Local Domestic Violence Nonprofits Share $15,000 From Verizon Wireless/Wireless Zone Fundraising Drive In Indiana

EVANSVILLE, IN — Holly’s House in Evansville, Ind., OASIS in Owensboro, Ky., and The Child Advocacy Center of Green River District in Henderson, Ky., each will receive $5,000 from a fundraising drive in which Verizon Wireless and Wireless Zone partnered in February.

Wireless Zone, a premier authorized retailer of Verizon Wireless, donated $10 for each of the phones it sold at its stores in Evansville, Henderson and Owensboro on Saturday, February 18, as part of its regular third-Saturday “Give Back Day” program. Verizon Wireless added to Wireless Zone’s gift by donating $10 for every used cell phone that area residents dropped into HopeLine® from Verizon bins at local stores throughout February. HopeLine is Verizon’s phone recycling program that turns no-longer-used phones into support for domestic violence survivors.

Collectively across all three cities, more than 500 phones were donated. Where the total didn’t quite reach $5,000, Verizon Wireless made up the difference.

“We are so overwhelmed by the strong participation of residents in Evansville, Owensboro and Henderson who donated their old cell phones,” said John Granby, president–Kentucky/Indiana/Michigan Region for Verizon Wireless. “Their generosity translates into support for very worthy nonprofit organizations in the form of cash grants.”

“Give Back Day is about giving our local customers an extra opportunity every month to help neighbors in need,” said Christopher Jourdan, owner of the Wireless Zone franchise in the three markets. “I believe domestic violence as a cause brought in a lot of customers because of the natural connection between escaping violence and the need to communicate with a support network. A cell phone can be a lifesaver in that situation.”

The three benefiting organizations include:

• Holly’s House (www.hollyshouse.org)  is a victims’ advocacy center that works with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse when they first come forward to report the crime.
• OASIS (Owensboro Area Shelter and Information Services, www.oasisshelter.org)  provides emergency shelter and non-residential counseling to approximately 300 women and children a year who are survivors of domestic violence or who are homeless due to substance abuse.
• The Children’s Advocacy Center of Green River District (http://www.cacgrd.org)  is one of 15 such centers in Kentucky that works to prevent child abuse and family violence and promotes interagency collaboration to improve services for child abuse survivors and their families.

HopeLine from Verizon collects no-longer-used phones, batteries and accessories − in any condition from any carrier − and then refurbishes, sells or recycles the phones and donates the proceeds to domestic violence prevention and treatment organizations in the form of cash grants. Verizon also donates prepaid phones to domestic violence organizations for use by survivors. In 2011, Verizon Wireless donated $100,000 to such organizations in Kentucky alone.

Wireless Zone’s third-Saturday “Give Back Day” program raises funds for a different organization each month in each of its area markets.

About Wireless Zone
Wireless Zone is the largest independent Verizon Wireless franchise in America, offering the latest cellphones, accessories, and service. Local Wireless Zone professionals serve customers with six tri-state locations. Visit wirelesszone.com for the location nearest you.

About Verizon Wireless in Kentucky
In Kentucky, Verizon Wireless has more than 150 employees and 120-plus locations including company-owned retail stores, indirect agents and national retailers.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 108.7 million total wireless connections, including 92.2 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: 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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