Don’t Throw That Old Cellular Phone Away! (NAPSA)—More than 55 million wireless phones are disconnected and/or discarded each year in the United States. Rather than throwing away your old phone, you can recycle it through a program that supports victims of domestic violence. In addition, recycling your phone will keep it out of a landfill and will help preserve our natural environment. To recycle your phone through the HopeLine program, simply visit a Verizon Wireless store and place your old phonein the collection box. Reusable phones are refurbished and donated to nonprofit domestic violence agencies to help keep clients safe. Other phones are broken downfor parts, which are then sold to raise money for domestic violence shelters. “We’re very pleased to havecorporate partners join us in this effort against one of our costliest societal problems,” said Christine Thrower, president/CEO of Women in Distress, a domestic violence agency based in Florida. “Domestic abuse takes an enormoustoll on all of us physically, emotionally and financially all across the nation.” Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest wireless phone company, created HopeLine, and has contributed millions of dollars worth of phones, airtime and cash contributions to domestic violence shelters and related organizations. Since the program’s launch in 2001, more than 500,000 a = = A consumer donates a used wireless phoneat a Verizon Wireless Hopeline collection box. The phone will be refurbished or recycled to help the environment and fight domestic violence. phones havebeencollected. “We’re very proud of the success of HopeLine, but there are so many more phones that could be helping domestic violence victims and that needlessly end up in landfills,” said Mike Lanman, Florida regional president of Verizon Wireless. “With the collection boxes in all of our stores, we’re trying to make it easy for everyoneto join this effort and help our communities, rather than casually throwing away the phone.” To recycle an unused wireless phone, visit a Verizon Wireless retail store near you, or visit www.verizonwireless.com for more information.
