Verizon Volunteers to Collect Old Wireless Phones During 'Until the Violence Stops: NYC' Festival

NEW YORK - Beginning today, Verizon volunteers will be collecting no-longer-used wireless phones at major events at Until the Violence Stops: NYC, a 16-day festival to highlight the issue of domestic violence against women. Wireless phones also can be donated at Verizon Wireless stores throughout the New York Metropolitan area.

The phone collections are part of Verizon Wireless' HopeLine^® phone recycling program, through which phones are refurbished, recycled or sold, and the proceeds are donated to domestic violence advocacy groups or used to purchase wireless phones for survivors. Phones from all carriers are accepted; those that cannot be refurbished are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

Since 2001, consumers have donated more than 3 million phones to HopeLine, and Verizon Wireless has distributed nearly $10 million in cash and in-kind contributions to local domestic violence prevention and awareness programs nationwide. For Verizon Wireless store locations, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

The Verizon Foundation is a lead sponsor of the festival, which will be held June 12 to 27. Marquee events include performances by celebrated actors Kathy Bates, Rosario Dawson and Salma Hayek, and readings by noted authors such as Eve Ensler, the founder of V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. There will also be community events throughout the five boroughs and a citywide messaging campaign. All the events issue a call to action: Demand an end to violence against women and girls and become an active participant in ending it.

Verizon volunteers, including TelecomPioneers and Women's Association of Verizon Employees (WAVE), will staff collection boxes at the festival's marquee events, including Run Until the Violence Stops, a 5-kilometer race in Brooklyn's Prospect Park on June 27. For a full schedule of events, visit www.vday.org and click on the "enter the festival" button.

With a membership of 100,000 Verizon retirees and 30,000 active Verizon employees, the Verizon TelecomPioneers donates 2 million hours annually in communities across the country, with members contributing their expertise, time and talent to a variety of nonprofit organizations and charitable causes. WAVE is an employee resource group for women.

Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and the foundation's financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; to support victims of domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, the foundation awarded more than $74 million in grants to charitable and nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, which is one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States and responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.

For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 53 million customers nationwide. Verizon Business operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks. Verizon Telecom is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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