8th Annual Collection Brightens Holidays For Youngest Victims of Domestic Violence

BOSTON, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless employees, customers, and community members, donated 5,100 new, unwrapped toys, games and books at Verizon Wireless stores throughout New England as part of the 8th annual Kids In Need Holiday Drive. In addition to the record-breaking collection, employees and partners donated an additional cash and gift cards to be used by local domestic violence agencies to help fulfill their needs.

Verizon Wireless stores across New England 'adopted' local domestic violence shelters and collected items on their behalf. At the end of the drive, donations were distributed to 63 organizations based in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

"The support our customers and employees give to this collection continues to be nothing short of amazing," said Ken Dixon, New England Region President for Verizon Wireless. "Domestic violence shelters told us that clients, especially the children, needed support like never before based on current economic conditions. Our communities certainly answered that call."

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's South Station, managed by Equity Office, once again teamed with Verizon Wireless to make it easy for commuters to donate at its terminal in Boston. Attendees of the Boston Pops concert at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire also donated gifts to the drive.

Generosity from community members was equaled by New England television and radio stations who partnered with Verizon Wireless to increase awareness of the Kids In Need Holiday Drive. Participating stations included FOX25 and WROR (105.7 FM) in Massachusetts, and News Channel 8 and myTV9 in Connecticut.

The 8th Annual Kids in Need Holiday Drive was organized as part of the company's continued support of domestic violence survivors and their families. The Verizon Wireless HopeLine program focuses on putting wireless products and services to work to assist survivors of domestic violence. Through a phone-recycling program, no-longer-used wireless phones (any carrier, any type of phone) are turned into useable phones and financial donations for shelters and domestic abuse programs nationwide. No-longer-used wireless phones may be recycled year round at any Verizon Wireless store.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 83.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: 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.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless