Verizon, Packers continue abuse prevention partnership
GREEN BAY - Verizon and the Green Bay Packers again will collect used wireless devices to support domestic abuse prevention and survivor programs.
They will collect phones, batteries and accessories during the Packers game against the Chicago Bears on Oct. 20 at Lambeau Field. Collection bins will be available from 5:25 p.m. through the end of the first quarter at each gate at Lambeau Field. Verizon also takes donations throughout the year at its retail stores and the Packers maintain a collection bin in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Verizon on Tuesday provided $50,000 to End Domestic Abuse WI for its statewide Teen Dating Violence and Healthy Relationships Project.
The Packers and Verizon are in the 10th year of their partnership. This is the third year Verizon provided a grant to End Domestic Abuse WI.
"A big piece of this initiative is to train teen leaders to recognize violence against teens," said Patti Seger, executive director of End Domestic Abuse WI.
End Domestic Abuse WI will use the money to expand its statewide teen council by 15 to 20 members. The council has 30 members in 20 schools and its annual statewide summit draws 400 attendees from 50 schools.
Teens are more likely to reveal instances of abuse to other teens than to their parents, Seger said.
"Teen dating violence is more common than we think," she said. "While most parents don't believe it's an issue in the lives of their teens, we know that one in three adolescents will be affected by dating violence and that 1.5 million high school-age teens experience some form of physical violence from a dating partner each year."
Verizon will accept any mobile phone, regardless of age.
"We had someone bring in a bag-phone the other day in Indianapolis," said Steve Van Dinter of Verizon.
Through its HopeLine program, the company sells the phones to recycling vendors and uses the money to provide new phones and 3,000 minutes of wireless and text-messaging service to agencies providing assistance to domestic violence clients.
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