Verizon's Annual Shower for the Shelter Campaign Brings Nearly $290,000 Worth of Household Items to Assist Victims of Domestic Violence

Verizon Employees and the Public Collected Items and Donated Money to Support Shelters That Assist Domestic Violence Survivors; Annual Campaign Has Collected More Than $1.3 Million in Items Since Launch in 2007

The Tools for School volunteer team from East Meadow, NY brought in more than $2,500 worth of supplies for their local domestic violence shelter. Pictured from left to right are Pierre Phadael, George Zervas, Isabel Duff (Campaign Coordinator), Luis Escajadillo, Vincent McCauley, and Ernesto Almanzar.

NEW YORK - Nearly $290,000 worth of clothing, personal items and household supplies will be donated to domestic violence shelters across the country, thanks to the generosity of Verizon employees, customers and the public.

The Verizon Foundation partnered with the National Network to End Domestic Violence to organize the drive at more than 300 Verizon-employee locations across the country to support 185 domestic violence shelters.

Verizon employees and members of the public took part in the annual Shower for the Shelter campaign to collect needed clothing, personal items and household supplies for shelters that serve survivors of domestic violence. The public was invited to take part in the campaign by making a tax deductable, online contribution to the National Network to End Domestic Violence at www.nnedv.org/verizon.

This was the Verizon Foundation's fourth annual Shower for the Shelter campaign, and the first open to the public. Since the campaign's launch in October 2007, Verizon employees have collected more than $1.3 million worth of household items to benefit survivors of domestic violence.

"Families often come to us with very little," said Jody Petry, of the TESSA shelter in Colorado Springs, Colo. "These donations enable us to give women the personal-care items they need for themselves and their family and help return their dignity as well. Verizon has been very generous to TESSA, and we appreciate this greatly."

Sue Else, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, said, "The economy is taking a huge toll on domestic violence shelters across the country. These donations will make a real difference in the lives of so many domestic violence survivors and their children."

The donated items will be distributed later this month to domestic violence shelters in the local communities where the items were collected. Money collected through online donations will be distributed to shelters by the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

"Domestic violence is an issue that affects every community," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston. " Through this campaign, Verizon employees and the public have helped raise awareness of this important issue and provided valuable support to the shelters that provide critical services to survivors of domestic violence."

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational website, Verizon Thinkfinity, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded $67.9 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $26.1 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 5 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.