If you’re not aware of Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine program you should be – while the news is riddled with violence, war and hate there are positive things happening that DON’T get the coverage they deserve. One of the many positive initiatives you’ve probably never heard of, the Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine program allows customers to recycle their phones which are then used to support victims of domestic violence.

The HopeLine program was started 7 years ago and the company’s most recent extension is the HopeLine envelope, providing customers who purchase/upgrade their phone online with an easy way to recycle their old phone when their new one arrives on the doorstep. This led to a 44% increase in donations in January and February of 2009 when compared to 2008. And it’s not like the program was shabby in the past – in each of the past 2 years, Verizon Wireless has collected more than A MILLION phones through the program and if the first two months of 2009 are any indication, this will be the third straight year..

We want to congratulate the folks at Verizon Wireless for not only putting together the program to begin with, but for the continued effort to make recycling phones for a worthy cause accessible and easy for customers. Their work impacts millions of lives and while the mainstream media often covers the day’s bad news, we want to take a moment to notice some of the good things.

Thank you Verizon Wirless… just another reason you’re the nation’s #1 wireless carrier.

[Via Press Release]