NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- Over 4,000 cell phones were collected at the Family Justice Center in Brooklyn and donated to Verizon.
Reporter Kelly Waldron says they will all be used in the Verizon Wireless Hope Line Program.
Verizon will take the 4,000 cell phones, recycle and refurbish them and give back more than 200 to domestic violence victims in Brooklyn.
That will provide, what Wanda Lucibello of the Special Victims Unit, a lifeline for those in danger.
"Oftentimes, their phones are taken by batterers and used as weapons and broken and sometimes they're looked at by batterers to see and to check up on the victim's contacts," said Lucibello.
Verizon will equip the phones with 3,000 minutes which many of the victims will use to obtain employment and stay in touch with loved ones when fleeing a violent situation.
Do you have a phone that you can donate? The Brooklyn Cell Phone Drive runs through Fri. Oct. 30
Drop off locations:
Meredith A. Lusthaus, Offices of Coffinas & Lusthaus PC, 186 Joralemon St., Ste. 910;
Brooklyn Supreme Court, Security Desk at the Court Street Entrance, 360 Adams St.;
Brooklyn Civil Court, Security Desk on the 7th Floor, 141 Livingston St.
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