Verizon, INDYCAR, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Launch Indiana HopeLine Drive

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Verizon, INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have partnered for a HopeLine drive throughout May to raise critical funds and awareness for domestic violence prevention. The drive invites racing fans to bring their no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories from any wireless carrier to donation sites throughout Indiana. 

A $50,000 HopeLine grant was presented to the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence due to a statewide shortfall in its Emergency Housing and Transportation Survivor Fund. The Indiana drive is also part of a national goal from HopeLine to collect 1 million phone donations in 2015.  For a list of donation sites across Indiana, including Verizon Wireless stores, visit: http://bit.ly/1EO6cz9

During the month of May, race fans can find HopeLine volunteers and boxes for dropping off no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at entrance gates 1, 3, 9 and 10-A during the following events:

  • Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Saturday, May 9

  • Indianapolis 500 Qualifications, Saturday, May 16

  • Old National Armed Forces Pole Day, Sunday, May 17

  • Coors Light Carb Day, Friday, May 22

  • Indianapolis 500, Sunday, May 24

According to ICADV, the average cost for domestic violence shelter is about $83 a night in a rural area of Indiana and about $75 a night in an urban area. The average shelter stay runs 21 to 56 days for those who flee from a dangerous situation. Transportation costs to accommodate families in crisis range from $1,682 to $7,300 a year per organization.

The HopeLine grant will increase the Emergency Housing and Transportation Survivor Fund by nearly 15 times its average annual income since it was seeded in 2005 with a start-up donation from the Indiana State Medical Association. The $50,000 grant is significant because the fund has averaged income of only $3,500 a year during the past nine years — and received no income for critical survivor services for at least four years that it’s been in existence. This is also the first time in a decade that a major grant has been awarded for support.

Through HopeLine, the public can help prevent domestic violence by donating no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories in any condition from any carrier and tweet photos of their donations with the hashtag — #VZHopeLineIN. Wireless phones given to HopeLine are refurbished and recycled in an environmentally sound way, generating proceeds going towards financial support of domestic violence awareness and prevention programs. Verizon also donates phones through HopeLine to local domestic violence agencies or law enforcement agencies for use by domestic violence survivors, which are basic phones complete with talk and text time.

The Indiana drive with community partners for public drives and employee collections will go from Thursday, May 7, to Sunday, June 7.

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