BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) — During the month of October, Illinois residents can donate old cellphones to raise money for two organizations helping victims of domestic violence.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is overseeing the program, and phones can be donated at her offices in Carbondale, Springfield and Chicago.

Verizon Wireless’s HopeLine program will refurbish and sell the phones. The company will donate $10 per phone — up to a maximum of $10,000 — with half going to the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois in Belleville. The other half will go to Connections for Abused Women and their Children in Chicago.

Simon said Tuesday she hopes the “cellphone drive will encourage Illinoisans to give, but also to educate themselves on domestic violence.”

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