Domestic Violence Awareness Month cell phone drive supports shelters in need
CARBONDALE - October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and on Friday Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will end her third annual cell phone drive with a check presentation in Carbondale. Simon will join officials from Verizon to present $5,000 to both the Cairo Women`s Shelter and HOPE, located in Rochelle.
"Each year we`ve done this cell phone drive, I have been so impressed by the generosity of Illinois residents," said Simon, a former Jackson county prosecutor who helped found the domestic violence legal clinic at Southern Illinois University School of Law. "Because so many people donated their old phones, we are able to help two shelters that are assisting survivors in underserved parts of our state."
Simon received 1,000 cell phones collected at her offices in Carbondale and Chicago, the Illinois State Fair, the Du Quoin State Fair and from the Department of Central Management Services. For every phone collected, Verizon donates $10 - up to $10,000 - to domestic violence shelters.
Since its recycling program was launched in 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 10 million wireless phones and has awarded more than $18.1 million in cash grants to domestic violence organizations throughout the country. More than 151,000 HopeLine phones with the equivalent of more than 453 million minutes of airtime have been provided to victims, survivors and domestic violence organizations since the program`s inception.
Donations are also accepted year-round at Verizon Wireless stores.
DATE: Friday, Oct. 11
TIME: 11 a.m.
LOCATION: Kaplan Hall, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, 1205 Douglas Drive, Carbondale
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