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Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence and Verizon Wireless Launch Citywide Cell Phone Recycling Drive

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 October 2006, 15:00 CDT

NEW YORK, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York City Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence is teaming up with Verizon Wireless' HopeLine(R) to urge all New York City residents to help survivors of domestic violence by donating their no-longer-used wireless phones during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During the month of October, for each of the first 2,000 unused phones donated to HopeLine, Verizon Wireless will donate $5 to benefit the New York City Family Justice Initiative.

"Many of us have old cell phones and batteries just sitting in a drawer, and the more often you upgrade your phone, the more old phones you end up with," said Mayor Bloomberg. "If you donate your old cell phones and batteries to the Verizon Wireless HopeLine Program, you help domestic violence victims while also keeping electronic waste out of our City landfills. I strongly urge New Yorkers to take part in this great program."

"Verizon Wireless' support has allowed us to help thousands of domestic violence victims and their children at the Family Justice Center," said Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence Commissioner Yolanda. B. Jimenez. "Through the HopeLine program and with the community's support, we will be able to continue our work assisting families to reach safety and live free from violence."

"HopeLine recycling is an easy way for community-minded citizens to support local domestic violence organizations as they work to transform women from victims to survivors," said Charles Hand, president of Verizon Wireless New York Metro Region. "Domestic violence does not discriminate. It's all around us in places most of us would never imagine. Citizens who support the program could very well be helping their own friends and neighbors."

For more than ten years Verizon Wireless' HopeLine, a phone recycling program, has collected used cell phones to be recycled or sold, and donated the proceeds in the form of cash grants and pre-paid cell phones to advocacy groups for battered women. Since 2001, consumers across the nation have donated nearly 3 million used wireless phones to HopeLine, including more than 100,000 in the New York Metro area. Verizon Wireless is a recognized leader in the fight to combat domestic violence and a founding supporter of the City's first Family Justice Center in Brooklyn. Local HopeLine grants include a $100,000 donation to the Brooklyn Family Justice Center and $120,000 to domestic violence prevention groups to fund new or expanded programs.

The Family Justice Center Initiative provides a supportive environment with the objective of breaking the cycle of domestic violence by providing essential advocacy, case management, criminal legal assistance, and civil legal assistance under one roof.

The City opened its first center in Brooklyn in July 2005. In its first year, the center served over 3,500 adult victims of domestic violence and 800 children. As a result, more domestic violence victims in Brooklyn are accessing services than ever before. Based on the program's success, Mayor Bloomberg has made expansion of the Family Justice Center Initiative a central part of his public safety plan for New York City and work is underway to open additional centers in Queens and in the Bronx.

Wireless phone models from any carrier may be dropped off at any of the 25 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the five boroughs. For Verizon Wireless Communications Store locations and additional information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline or http://www.nyc.gov/domesticviolence.

The Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence

CONTACT: Tracy Weber (Domestic Violence), +1-212-788-3156,tweber@cityhall.nyc.gov; or Lynette Viviani (VAPR for Verizon Wireless),+1-973-283-9228

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinehttp://www.nyc.gov/domesticviolence

Source: PRNewswire

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