Casa de Esperanza Launches Hope Campaign to Challenge Communities Across the Country to Take Action Against Domestic Violence

Casa de Esperanza Launches Hope Campaign to Challenge Communities Across the
Country to Take Action Against Domestic Violence
Verizon Wireless Commits $50,000 to Sponsor Campaign

ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Believing that domestic violence will
end only when it is no longer acceptable, Casa de Esperanza, a national Latina
domestic violence organization, today launched its Hope Campaign to challenge
people across the country to take action in their daily lives to create a
world free from domestic violence.

Sponsored by Verizon Wireless, the national Hope Campaign puts the work of
ending domestic violence in the hands of individuals and communities. A new,
interactive Web site - www.casadeesperanza.org/hope-campaign - offers tools,
tips and ideas for people to get involved in the Hope Campaign, including
taking the Pledge of Hope - a personal commitment to ground relationships in
love, respect and understanding.

"It isn't the work of Casa de Esperanza or any other organization that will
end domestic violence," said Amy Sanchez, chief executive for external
relations at Casa de Esperanza. "It is individual and community action that
will end violence and create communities where all are safe and valued."

"Casa de Esperanza has demonstrated leadership within Latino communities
around the issue of domestic violence, and we are proud to work with them to
raise awareness and provide resources through the Hope Campaign," said Jim
Gerace, vice president of corporate communications at Verizon Wireless. "No
single company or agency can break the cycle of violence we face, but, working
together, we can make a larger impact."

In addition to taking the Pledge of Hope, the Campaign provides:
-- Access to resources and information about domestic violence and ways
to
promote healthy relationships.
-- Ideas to support domestic violence prevention through fundraising
events
with the Hope Campaign or by donating no-longer-used cell phones to
HopeLine®, Verizon Wireless's phone recycling program.

-- Tools for shelter or agency workers to help explain domestic violence
to
children and other community members.

A key element of the Hope Campaign is new audio and video public service
announcements, available in both English and Spanish, that remind us of the
positive impact we all can make through our words and actions. To preview or
order the PSAs, visit www.casadeesperanza.org/hope-campaign.

The Hope Campaign was created from the belief that no one is born violent -
violence is a learned behavior. We all have the opportunity and
responsibility to take small, but important, action in our daily lives and to
promote hope, not fear and peace, not violence.

Verizon Wireless has long been involved in domestic violence prevention and
awareness activities, led by the company's HopeLine phone recycling and reuse
program. Consumers are invited to donate no-longer-used cell phones at
Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide or use a pre-paid mailing
label found on the Web (www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel). The
phones are either refurbished or recycled. With the funds raised from the
sale of the refurbished phones, Verizon Wireless donates wireless phones and
airtime to victims and provides funding and other contributions to non-profit
domestic violence shelters and prevention programs across the country.

To learn more about the Hope Campaign, visit
www.casadeesperanza.org/hope-campaign.

About Casa de Esperanza

Rooted in Latina values and realities, Casa de Esperanza works at the
grassroots level in Minnesota to shelter and advocate for Latinas and their
children, change community attitudes about domestic violence and facilitate
community networks. Across the country, the organization enhances Latinos'
access to resources and support, conducts culturally relevant research,
advocates for policy responsive to Latinos and provides training and
consultation to organizations working with Latinos.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless
voice and 3G data network, serving 89 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

Eva Benavidez, Casa de Esperanza, +1-651-646-5553,
ebenavidez@casadeesperanza.org, or Terri Stanton, Verizon Wireless,
+1-908-559-7513, Terri.Stanton@verizonwireless.com