By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor
Shrewsbury – Two Worcester-based organizations received grants June 26 courtesy of Verizon Wireless which will help them empower victims of domestic violence.
Eric Letourneau, the manager of the Shrewsbury Verizon Wireless store at 77 Boston Turnpike, presented checks to representatives of the two organizations, Employers Against Domestic Violence (EADV) and Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Central Mass., in a short ceremony held at the store. EADV received a check for $20,000 and YWCA received $10,000.
The grants, according to Verizon spokesperson Mike Murphy, were funded by the company’s HopeLine program, which allows customers to dispose of their unwanted phones and accessories into special kiosks set up in many Verizon Wireless stores, including the Shrewsbury store. The phones are sold to a recycler and then with those profits, Verizon purchases wireless phones. The company donates the phones to programs such as EADV and YWCA who distribute them to victims of domestic violence. The phones, Murphy said, have 3,000 free minutes, unlimited texting and voicemail boxes.
“We will take all types of phones, from any and all companies,” he said. “It can be a newer phone or an old one – we will take them all!”
Phones which cannot be salvaged are disposed of through an Environmental Protection Agency-certified salvage company.
The phones, according to Evelyn Cabreia, director of residential services for the YWCA, have already been proved to be a lifeline for many victims of domestic abuse.
“This gives them another way to feel safe and lets them communicate with the people they need to reach,” she said.
Gabrielle Alan, a board member for EADV (and a YWCA residential services supervisor) agreed, adding, “Sometimes people will walk away from a situation with nothing or the person they are leaving has had complete control of everything, including the cell phones. So this type of phone is really vital to help them get their footing.”
Murphy noted that Verizon Wireless had received grant applications from many nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts. As such, the company was happy to support and fund EAVD and YWCA with the grants.
“On behalf of this store and all of our employees, we are thankful for what you do on the front lines helping people and we are proud to be part of that,” he said.
Accepting the check on behalf of EADV were Carol Smith, treasurer; Julie DeCosta, board member; and Alan. The funds will be used by EAVD to help educate employers and employees on a new law enacted by Massachusetts Legislature, An Act Relative to Domestic Violence. The new bill mandates that all employers with 50 or more employees create a policy addressing domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault in the workplace. With the funding, EADV will create a training program to use across the state in an effort to reach as many employers from all different professions through partnerships with regional chambers of commerce, New England Human Resources Associations and Allied Industries of Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.employersagainstdomesticviolence.org.
Cabreia accepted the check on behalf of the YWCA. That organization will use the monies to introduce chat technology in an effort to further eliminate barriers that may prevent victims from reaching out for help and support. Advocates will be able to privately chat with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationships. The YWCA will also purchase two laptop computers for dedicated use by the live chat advocates, reprint its existing inventory of hotline cards and domestic violence rack cards promoting this new service. For more information, visit: www.ywcacentralmass.org .
According to the company, since its inception, the Verizon Wireless HopeLine program has donated over $29 million in cash grants and nearly 200,000 phones to domestic violence victims and survivors. For more information on the program, visit www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/hopeline.
Photos/Bonnie Adams
