Make a Difference: Donate Old Cell Phones to Benefit Victims of Domestic Violence [HopeLine]

The month of October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To help victims of domestic violence, I ask you to send in your used cell phones to the HopeLine program sponsored by Verizon Wireless. I sent in a Motorola Razr in April and I’m sending a second one in this month. The HopeLine program collects no-longer used cell phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless provider. Phones are refurbished and distributed through local organizations and law enforcement agencies to victims of domestic violence along with 3,000 minutes of free calls. Phones that cannot be refurbished are recycled in an environmentally safe way.

According to the HopeLine website, nearly one in four women, one in nine men, and over three million children have been affected by domestic violence. Cell phones can serve as a link to emergency services and law enforcement for victims of domestic violence. They also help victims get back on their feet by providing reliable calling to friends, family and employers.  Cell phones on Verizon’s network, including all HopeLine phones, can be connected airtime free to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by dialing #HOPE.

HopeLine now has:

• Collected more than 7 million phones.
• Awarded nearly $8 million dollars in cash grants to domestic violence programs throughout the country.
• Refurbished and distributed more than 90,000 phones with over 300 million minutes of free service to victims of domestic violence.

Donating a no-longer used wireless phone to HopeLine® from Verizon is easy. Follow these four steps:

1. Turn the phone’s power off.
2. Make sure the phone’s batteries are installed in the phone you are returning. Please do not include any loose batteries.
3. Please remove storage cards (microSD, etc.) and SIM cards from phones prior to donation. Also, please return any travel chargers or other accessories that came with the devices.
4. Seal the package and adhere the free postage-paid label (printable PDF) to the box/envelope and drop it in the mail. Please include your return address on the shipping label.

At the end of this month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Verizon Wireless will donate an additional $25,000 to domestic violence programs in my area.

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