Concord Anti-Domestic Violence Non-Profit Gets $10,000 Verizon Grant

A non-profit organization in Concord working against domestic abuse has been granted $10,000 from Verizon Wireless through the company's cell phone donation program.

STAND! For Families Free of Violence was one of 32 Northern California anti-domestic violence organizations awarded a grant this year through Verizon's HopeLine phone recycling program. The program collects old cell phones, batteries and accessories for refurbishment or recycling and then uses the cash to fund grants for domestic violence organizations across the country. Verizon awarded more than $14.2 million in grants in 2012 — a total of $227,000 of which went to non-profits in the Bay Area.

Refurbished cell phones, with prepaid airtime, are also given to domestic violence prevention agencies for use by survivors.

The Concord-based STAND! For Families Free of Violence started in the 1970s with a single phone line in a utlity closet, according to the non-profit. Now, the organization is the sole provider of comprehensive domestic violence and child abuse services in Contra Costa County. The Concord center offers prevention, intervention, and treatment programs, as well as a 24-hour crisis line.

Verizon's HopeLine Program will help the organization fund program support, client transportation, communications and supplies. Since HopeLine launched in 2001, Verizon has collected more than 9 million phones for envionmentally-friendly disposal, recycling or refurbishment, and distributed nearly 123,000 HopeLine phones with the equivalent of more than 406 million minutes of wireless service for use by domestic violence victims, survivors and organizations.

“Anyone can make a real difference by just visiting one of our stores and dropping offer their old cell phones of any age, make or model – it’s that easy," said Russ Preite, region president for Verizon Wireless.

No-longer-used wireless phones and accessories can be recycled through HopeLine at any Verizon store nationwide. To find the nearest store, use Verizon's store locator. To mail in old phones, batteries or accessories for recycling, view the company's shipping instructions.

Dialing #HOPE from any Verizon Wireless phone goes through directly to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE). There is also a HopeLine smartphone app, which provides tools to help spread awareness and support victims of domestic violence, as well as information about how and where to donate old phones and accessories to the program and how to host a phone drive.