Verizon Wirelesses’ philanthropy project HopeLine recently donated a $6,000 grant to the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, a 25-year-old nonprofit organization that provides assistance for domestic abuse survivors.
Bob Kelley, Verizon’s public relations manager, said HopeLine is a project that helps domestic violence organizations raise money nationwide.
“A big part of our donations come from our own customers who donate no-longer-needed cell phones and other equipment, Kelley said. "We’re able to convert that equipment into cash grants. "Virtually everything that’s donated in terms of equipment to Verizon is put back into our HopeLine program to provide cash grants and other services to agencies to help survivors of domestic violence.”
Peg Coleman, executive director of the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, said the organization is very grateful to receive the grant which will help fund an anonymous 24-hour phone line called “LinkLine.”
LinkLine is a statewide service that provides domestic abuse victims with support and a place where victims can ask questions about healthy relationships, receive advice or help plan an escape from their abusers. Coleman said LinkLine is a comfortable option for victims because of the anonymity of the service.
“I mean we’re desperate for funding in that area. So it literally helps us maintain a live person on the other end of that line, we don’t want to roll it over to a recording," Coleman said. "We have so many complicated issues, especially around the holidays. We have so many people call that we really want to keep a live voice on the other end so that people know that people locally here really care.”
Coleman said Utah has above average rates of domestic violence.
Morgan Pratt is a sophomore at Utah State University seeking a degree in Journalism and Communications.
