Calling All Lonely Cell Phones: Don't Spend Valentine's Day Alone

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- This Valentine's Day, Verizon Wireless is seeking all used cell phones that may have been tossed aside, tucked away in a drawer or long forgotten.  With HopeLine®, Verizon Wireless' phone recycling program, these left-behind phones can join other phones with similar backgrounds to help domestic violence survivors get a new start on life.  A perfect match!

HopeLine makes it simple to donate old phones.  Customers out shopping for the perfect Valentine's Day gift for their special someone can visit their local Verizon Wireless Communications Store and drop their old cell phones in the HopeLine bin.  Anyone buying gifts online can also donate a no-longer-used wireless phone by downloading the postage-paid label available at www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel.  The donation of a cell phone can help make a difference for survivors of domestic violence who need a vital link to emergency or support services in a time of crisis or a reliable, safe connection to employers, family and friends.

HopeLine accepts no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any service provider.  Phones that can be refurbished are sold for reuse, and those without value are recycled in an environmentally sound way under a zero landfill policy.  Proceeds from the HopeLine program are used to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness.

Since the October 2001 launch of the HopeLine program, the company has collected more than 6.7 million phones, preventing those phones from being deposited in landfills.  HopeLine has also distributed more than 90,000 phones with free wireless service to victims of domestic violence and awarded cash grants of more than $7.9 million to organizations working to prevent domestic violence.

For additional information on Verizon Wireless' HopeLine program and store locations, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with  83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (Nasdaq and LSE: 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.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless