Mobile phone company collecting smartphones to help victims of domestic violence
- 20 Oct
Verizon Wireless have launched a state-wide drive in America to collect 3,000 no longer used wireless phones, accessories and tablets to help benefit victims of domestic violence.
The drive will run through to the end of November and coincides with Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The organisers believe that donated phones will help victims of domestic violence feel safer and less isolated as they'll have a way to call emergency or support services, family, friends and employers.
"Verizon Wireless' goal is to place phones in the hands of as many domestic violence survivors across Michigan as possible so they can call for help when needed," said Verizon Wireless Region President Lauren Love-Wright, in a release. "Our customers are crucial in helping us make this happen," reports CBS Detroit.
The donated phones will be given to HopeLine will have 3,000 minutes of wireless service and text-messaging services on them. Local domestic violence agencies, local government agencies and law enforcement agencies will use the devices with their domestic violence clients.
To date in 2014, Verizon has given grants totalling more than $108,000 for domestic violence prevention and response in Kentucky. Since HopeLine was launched in 2001, the program has collected more than 10.8 million phones nationwide, awarded more than $21.4 million in cash grants and distributed more than 180,000 phones with nearly 544 million free minutes and 207 million text messages to shelters for use by survivors. Donated devices that cannot be refurbished and resold are disposed of in accordance with Verizon's zero-landfill policy, reports Market Watch.
Do you think something similar could happened here in the UK? Let us know in the comments.
This blog post has been written by our sister company The Media Bubble who specialise in social media for the social sector.
Image source: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/1438234
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