Unused cell phones collected through June for Project HopeLine

Have a cell phone you're not using any more? Verizon Wireless is conducting a national campaign to collect those old phones, and drop boxes are set up throughout the Western Washington University campus.

Verizon will reprogram each phone with 3,000 minutes and phone numbers for 911 and the national domestic violence hotline. The company then will distribute the phones to domestic violence organizations to pass on to victims who need a phone for their safety.

Collection boxes are located in Old Main Room 403, in the Dean of Students Office (Viking Union Room 506), and at all campus residence hall front desks. Old phones and chargers also may be sent via campus mail to the Dean of Students Office, MS 9105.

As part of this campaign, Verizon is offering a reward to the county that collects the most cell phones. The county with the most cell phones collected will win $10,000 for domestic violence victim services. Last year, with the help of Western, Whatcom county won – out-collecting larger areas such as Los Angeles County and King County.

Collection continues through the end of June.

For more information, visit the website of the Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission Against Domestic Violence.