In an effort to help fight domestic violence in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Verizon Wireless is again teaming up with the Green Bay Packers to help provide protection where it is needed most—off the field.
The long-running awareness campaign, called "Protection is the Name of the Game," is an extension of Verizon Wireless' award-winning HopeLine program, which is dedicated to helping stop domestic violence. The "Protection is the Name of the Game" program includes a phone drive at Packers home games during the regular season; financial donations to domestic violence organizations in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula; and a public service announcement featuring Green Bay Packer Jordy Nelson and his wife Emily. In 2010, Packers fans donated 767 no-longer-used wireless phones for a total donation of $7,670 to seven Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula domestic violence agencies and shelters.
"Verizon Wireless is committed to supporting those affected by domestic violence," said T.J. Fox, region president, Verizon Wireless. "Statistics show that nearly one in four American women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Through this campaign with the Packers, we hope to take vital steps toward ending the cycle of violence by educating the general public on this pervasive national epidemic."
"Protection is the Name of the Game" will include the following initiatives:
- Season-Long HopeLine Phone Drive: Verizon Wireless and the Packers will be collecting no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories at Packers home games during the regular season. Fans can donate their old phones at one of three HopeLine collection boxes near the Verizon Wireless gate and at guest services in the Atrium. Most of the phones will be refurbished or sold with the proceeds used to
purchase newer wireless phones for domestic violence survivors and to support area domestic violence shelters and organizations. Phones that can't be refurbished will be recycled in an environmentally sound way.
- $10 Match: For each phone collected during the season-long HopeLine drive, Verizon Wireless will donate $10 to a local domestic violence shelter. Domestic violence organizations that will benefit from the program include; Golden House (Green Bay), Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home for Abused Women, Inc. (Calumet, Mich.), New Horizon's Shelter Women Center (La Crosse, Wis.), Sojourner Family Peace Center (Milwaukee), Caring House, Inc. (Iron Mountain, Mich.), Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (Madison, Wis.), United Migrant Opportunity Service, Inc. (UMOS) – Latina Resource Center (Milwaukee). Each week, phones will also be collected at local Verizon Wireless stores to further benefit the participating agencies.
- Journey of Hope Tour Bus: Verizon Wireless has partnered with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) to embark on an eight-city bus tour coinciding with Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Journey of Hope provides a means for those engaging with the bus to get involved and help teach ways people can take action against domestic violence. Visitors can pledge support to become part of a national community dedicated to empowering domestic violence victims. The 2011 Journey of Hope tour kicks off in Green Bay on October 2.
- 30-second public service announcement (PSA): Produced by Verizon Wireless, a public service announcement featuring Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson and his wife Emily will be broadcast on television stations throughout Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and shown on the Lambeau Field TundraVision during each Packers home game. The PSA encourages fans to donate their old phones to HopeLine.
"The Green Bay Packers have had a rich partnership with Verizon Wireless and we are proud to once again help support those affected by domestic violence and ultimately put an end to it," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "Starting Oct. 2, every Packers fan who attends a homegame will have a chance to provide a lifeline to someone in the community by simply donating their old phone to HopeLine. Our fans are among the most supportive in all of sports, and we know they will do their part to support this important initiative."
More About the HopeLine Program
Since HopeLine from Verizon's national cell phone recycling and re-use program was launched in 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 8 million wireless phones, awarded more than $10 million in cash grants to domestic violence organizations throughout the country and by the end of this year, will have donated more than 106,000 HopeLine phones with 319 million minutes of airtime to victims, survivors and domestic violence organizations.
Last year in Wisconsin alone, more than 13,000 phones were donated to the program, totaling more than 1.4 million minutes of service and more than $75,000 in cash grants to help survivors of domestic violence across the state.
Fans unable to attend a game this season can still donate their no-longer-used phones at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store at any time. To find the store closest to you, visit www.verizonwireless.com.
Learn More:
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About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: 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.
