As part of its 45-year commitment to community service and public wellness, and in commemoration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, ACCESS is proud to announce the launch of its Domestic Violence Hopeline Drive in partnership with Verizon Wireless.
Allies to survivors of domestic violence can participate in Hopeline, a program of Verizon Wireless, by donating old cell phones, smart phones, tablets and their accessories, including chargers, from any carrier and in any condition. Verizon will refurbish the donated phones, offer 3,000 free minutes and 9,000 free texts for each device, and provide them to survivors through law enforcement, local government and domestic violence agencies. Unusable devices and equipment will be recycled, and the resulting funds will be offered in the form of grants to organizations that aid survivors of domestic violence.
Hopeline was launched in 2001 by Verizon. To date, the campaign has awarded more than $29 million in grants to agencies serving survivors of domestic violence.
ACCESS established its Domestic Violence Awareness and Treatment Program in 2006, as part of its Community Health and Research Center (CHRC). “Our program serves an average of 300 survivors per year,” said Mona Makki, director of the CHRC. “ACCESS ensures that survivors of domestic violence are provided with psychiatric services, case management services, legal advocacy, financial assistance, referrals to safe housing, referrals for medical treatment, and much more,” she said.
ACCESS’ bilingual and culturally sensitive staff is trained to ensure that each survivor’s needs are delivered in a manner that is consistent with our values of honesty, integrity and professionalism. The training of Domestic Violence Awareness and Treatment Program staff includes, but is not limited to, securing personal protection orders, providing employment training, providing transportation assistance, and helping clients to secure driver’s licenses.
ACCESS’ Hopeline Drive will be collecting donated devices and their accessories at each of its centers, located in Dearborn, Sterling Heights, Hamtramck, Ferndale and Detroit. ACCESS will supplement these collection efforts by securing the commitment of its local partners to host donation drop-boxes at their respective businesses, religious institutions and schools. Teams of volunteers will also conduct community outreach efforts to collect donations from residents in the surrounding area.
“The Hopeline Drive is one of our many efforts that puts into practice our commitment to helping our community overcome some of its most deeply-rooted challenges. By bringing together allies, advocates and volunteers, we are helping our community become one step closer to a domestic violence-free future.” Makki said.
For more information on the Hopeline Drive, contact Jared Mouro at JMouro@accesscommunity.org, call (313)-842-1927, or visit http://goo.gl/bMwCxK or https://www.accesscommunity.org/.
