A phone can be an invaluable resource to some who has been a victim of domestic violence, whether it is used to call for help in an emergency or to call for a job.
Verizon’s HopeLine program provides these needed phones, in addition to funding.
The national program began in 1995 when the company, then known as Bell Atlantic Mobile, wanted to do something to give back to the community. At the start, the company created voicemails for victims who were living in shelters and gave cell phones that victims could use in case of an emergency.
Although at one point the phones could only call 9-1-1, the use has expanded.
Now, when phones are donated, Verizon either recycles them or has them refurbished. Money made from selling the refurbished phones is put into a fund.
Since 2001, more than seven million phones have been collected for HopeLine. In addition, more than $7.9 million of grants have been awarded to domestic violence agencies and organizations.
“We let the organizations manage the phones and manage the cash because they’re the experts,” said Verizon Wireless spokesperson David Samberg. “We’re just giving them the resources they need to do it.”
Samberg described being able to help the community and give back as being “the best part of the job.”
“It really doesn’t get any better than that,” Samberg said.
Samberg noted that this program is really made possible by the community members who recycle their phones, since those phones generate cash for the fund. He also explained that when phones are donated in the northeast, the money goes back to that same area. Samberg said that the New York metro area has been one of the top regions for recycling phones.
“The more phones that people recycle the more resources we have to give to back to the community,” he said.
Phones can be donated at any Verizon Wireless Communications store, which can be located at www.verizonwireless.com/storelocator. They can also be donated by mail. Postage-paid labels can be printed at www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel.
For more information on HopeLine, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
More on domestic violence: part 2 of our series.
THE CRIPPLING DAMAGE TO CHILDREN
TRAINING PEER EDUCATORS TO PREVENT ABUSE
LANGUAGE LINE SPEAKS YOUR LINGO
VERIZON ‘HOPES’ TO USE OLD PHONES TO HELP
Stories and links from part 1 of our series on domestic violence can be found here:
THE SILENT SHAME- AN INTRODUCTION TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
