For those who remember the old adage about a place for everything and everything in its place, take note.  Verizon Wireless is asking those who will be attending the Women Giving Back Fashion Show on May 29th to rescue any old cell phones that might be sitting unused in kitchen drawers and glove compartments and donate them to the HopeLine phone recycling program.

HopeLine collects previously owned wireless handsets and accessories, from any wireless service provider, to be refurbished, recycled and/or sold.  Proceeds from the HopeLine program benefit victims of domestic violence through the donation of wireless phones and service and financial grants to support prevention programs and events.
With more than 256 million wireless customers in the United States, wireless phones are one of the hottest consumer products being sold today.  With trends changing every minute, the “must have” cell phone also changes frequently, and old wireless phones are often replaced by newer models.

Recycling cell phones leads to significant environmental savings.  In addition to keeping valuable materials out of landfills and incinerators, recycling just 1 million cell phones reduces greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 1,368 cars off the road for a year.

Since 2001, consumers have donated more than 4.5 million phones to HopeLine.  In turn, Verizon Wireless has distributed more than $5 million in HopeLine cash grants to domestic violence prevention and awareness programs across the country and provided more than 60,000 phones with airtime and other features.  In addition, the program has kept more than 200 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills.

If you're in the midst of spring cleaning, now is the perfect time to put something that has no value to you to work for someone in need.  Remember:  when you dust, don’t forget to donate.


For more information on Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine program or for instructions on donating a wireless phone, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.