New York City Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence With Citywide Cell Phone Drive

The New York City Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence is teaming up with Verizon Wireless' HopeLine 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."

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.

Wireless phone models from any carrier may be dropped off at any of the 25 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the five boroughs.