Verizon Wireless contributes

$5,000 to Spruce Run-Womancare 

BANGOR — Recently, Verizon Wireless presented a $5,000 HopeLine grant to the Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance, a nonprofit agency serving Penobscot and Piscataquis counties. The alliance is dedicated to providing safety-planning, advocacy and support to individuals affected by domestic abuse. The donated funds will be used to support the organization’s prevention, education and training programs intended to foster safe, healthy relationships. The donation was presented at the Verizon Wireless Store on Stillwater Avenue.

Contributed photo

VERIZON HOPELINE GRANT — Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance Public Awareness Educator Alison Weiss accepts a $5,000 HopeLIne grant from Verizon Wireless Solutions Manager Chris Martin last week at the Verizon Wireless Store on Stillwater Avenue in Bangor. The donated funds will be used to support the organization’s prevention, education and training programs intended to foster safe, healthy relationships.

Verizon Wireless also presented a $7,500 HopeLine grant to the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, which will be used to support its health and wellness outreach programs. The Maine Coalition is comprised of eight domestic violence resource centers statewide: Caring Unlimited, Family Crisis Services, Family Violence Project, Hope and Justice Project, New Hope for Women, Safe Voices, Next Step and the Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance. The coalition works closely with its member organizations and community partners to increase safety for anyone impacted by domestic violence.

“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and donating a no-longer used cell phone through Verizon’s HopeLine program is an easy and effective way to support domestic violence agencies right here in Maine,” said Michael Murphy, PR manager for Verizon Wireless in New England. “Thanks to the phones and accessories that members of the community have donated to HopeLine over the years, Verizon is able to award HopeLine grants to local agency partners who are working hard to raise awareness of this important issue, and ultimately put an end to domestic violence.”

Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine program puts the wireless network to work in communities by turning no-longer-used wireless phones into support for survivors of domestic violence. Verizon Wireless collects no-longer used cell phones, batteries and accessories in any condition, and from any service provider, at its communications stores nationwide. Phones that can be refurbished are sold, while those that cannot are disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. Both outcomes generate proceeds for the program, which are used to provide grants and new HopeLine phones — complete with 3,000 minutes of free wireless service — to local shelters and nonprofit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness.