Trenton, NJ - Officials with Verizon Wireless and the Verizon Foundation recently presented a $65,000 HopeLine grant to the Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation® at Emerson Middle School in Union City. The grant will be used to support the Foundation’s educational initiative, Margaret’s Place, at Emerson Middle School – in addition to other locations throughout the region. Margaret’s Place offers students a “safe room” in schools to talk with each other and a professional counselor about violence-related issues.
In schools around the country, Margaret’s Place counselors also work with students to become Peer Leaders so they can create greater awareness and understanding of the impact of domestic violence and violence-related issues in the school community.
Joe Torre, Chairman of the Board of the Joe Torre Safe At Home® Foundation; Kevin Zavaglia, Verizon Wireless, President, New York Metro Region; and Michael Cirone, Principal of Emerson Middle School participated in a check presentation ceremony during a school-wide student assembly.
The assembly featured remarks from Emerson Middle School Peer Leaders. Following the presentation, Torre spoke to the students about his personal experiences with domestic violence and hosted a question and answer session.
“We have seen the positive results of Margaret’s Place first hand and the Foundation is grateful to be able to continue helping children at schools such as Emerson Middle School,” Torre said.
“We are very proud to have a partner like Verizon, which is a leading voice and advocate for raising awareness of domestic violence.
“Children need to understand that they’re not alone and it’s not their fault, which is what Margaret’s Place aims to accomplish,” the Baseball Hall of Famer added. “Together, we can help educate students and end the cycle of domestic violence so every child can feel safe at school, in their community and at home.”
HopeLine from Verizon connects survivors of domestic violence to vital resources, funds organizations nationwide and protects the environment. Since the program launched in 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 10 million phones, donated more than $21 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies across the country, and distributed more than 180,000 refurbished phones to domestic violence survivors.
“Domestic violence is an epidemic that has a lasting impact on families, women and children in communities nationwide,” said Kevin Zavaglia, Verizon Wireless, President, New York Metro Region. “Through HopeLine from Verizon, we are proud to continue to support organizations like the Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation® and Margaret’s Place, which know the importance of educating youth about healthy relationships early on to end the cycle of domestic violence.”
Joe Torre, Chairman of the Board of the Joe Torre Safe At Home® Foundation; Kevin Zavaglia, Verizon Wireless, President, New York Metro Region; and Michael Cirone, Principal of Emerson Middle School participated in a check presentation ceremony during a school-wide student assembly.
The assembly featured remarks from Emerson Middle School Peer Leaders. Following the presentation, Torre spoke to the students about his personal experiences with domestic violence and hosted a question and answer session.
“We have seen the positive results of Margaret’s Place first hand and the Foundation is grateful to be able to continue helping children at schools such as Emerson Middle School,” Torre said.
“We are very proud to have a partner like Verizon, which is a leading voice and advocate for raising awareness of domestic violence.
“Children need to understand that they’re not alone and it’s not their fault, which is what Margaret’s Place aims to accomplish,” the Baseball Hall of Famer added. “Together, we can help educate students and end the cycle of domestic violence so every child can feel safe at school, in their community and at home.”
HopeLine from Verizon connects survivors of domestic violence to vital resources, funds organizations nationwide and protects the environment. Since the program launched in 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 10 million phones, donated more than $21 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies across the country, and distributed more than 180,000 refurbished phones to domestic violence survivors.
“Domestic violence is an epidemic that has a lasting impact on families, women and children in communities nationwide,” said Kevin Zavaglia, Verizon Wireless, President, New York Metro Region. “Through HopeLine from Verizon, we are proud to continue to support organizations like the Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation® and Margaret’s Place, which know the importance of educating youth about healthy relationships early on to end the cycle of domestic violence.”
