Now Available, Text “LOVEIS” to 77054 for Immediate Assistance
PR Newswire
AUSTIN, Texas – /PRNewswire/ – loveisrespect.org received a $250,000 grant fromHopeLine from Verizon and the Verizon Foundation to launch the most comprehensive resource available helping young people build healthy relationships. The donation is one of the first from the private sector supporting loveisrespect.org, a unique partnership between Break the Cycle, a leading national nonprofit working to end teen dating violence and abuse, and the National Dating Abuse Helpline.
With support from Verizon, a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers, loveisrespect.org is leveraging the power of technology to help end dating abuse among teens and young adults, ages 13-24. Loveisrespect.org combines 24-hour online chat, phone and text service with the most comprehensive resource to engage, educate and empower teens and young adults online and off.
“Verizon has been a leading corporate supporter of domestic violence prevention for more than a decade. Through this grant, we can effectively use technology to reach more teens and young adults, and also ensure they can quickly and easily reach us in a time of crisis,” said Dyanne Purcell, CEO, National Dating Abuse Helpline.
The critical importance of addressing dating abuse early and via technology has caught the attention of many. Vice President Joe Biden sent the inaugural text message, announcing that anyone can get immediate help by texting LOVEIS to 77054.
Lupita Reyes, Verizon Foundation director, said: “Verizon is continually looking for innovative ways to use our technology and our network to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges. We are proud and committed to broadening access to immediate help and educational resources through loveisrespect.org. And we are grateful for the tremendous leadership in the field — from Vice President Biden to the veteran advocates at Break the Cycle and the National Dating Abuse Helpline — who have rallied around this approach.”
Verizon’s grant funds an independent, third-party evaluation of the impact of loveisrespect.org. This research will help improve the ongoing crisis services and grow the extensive library of resources and tools at loveisrespect.org.
“Research shows that one in three teens experience dating abuse, so it is especially exciting to bring this service to all those affected by this epidemic. Through loveisrespect.org, we can offer an alternative to violence and abuse,” said Marjorie Gilberg, executive director of Break the Cycle.
Through HopeLine, Verizon accepts no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories from any provider and turns them into support for domestic violence victims and survivor. Teens who want to hold their own cell phone collection drive can learn more at www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
About loveisrespect.org
Loveisrespect.org helps teens and young adults, ages 13-24 navigate the spectrum of healthy relationship behaviors. From the program, young people learn there are options, answers and support available to them every hour of every day. Forming the National Partnership to End Dating Abuse, Break the Cycle and the National Dating Abuse Helpline designed the new loveisrespect.org specifically for young people, emphasizing confidentiality and trust to ensure teens and 20-somethings nationwide feel safe and supported — online and off. Find out more at www.loveisrespect.org.
About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with nearly 108 million total connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 194,000. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.