Transforming Veterans' Lives: Your Mobile Phone Donation Powers Connectivity with Cell Phones For Soldiers

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Sep 26, 2023, 09:00 ET

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cell Phones for Soldiers, a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services and emergency funding to veterans, active-duty military members, and their families, is encouraging consumers to donate their unused, old mobile phones to help those who serve. With the recent launches of new phones, and back-to-school shopping, many consumers have old phones that are no longer being used that could be recycled and refurbished to provide crucial lifelines to someone in need.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, every year, approximately 200,000 men and women transition from military service to civilians. Many veterans are unable to afford phones and connectivity to be a part of today's digital world and look to veteran service organizations and nonprofits like Cell Phones for Soldiers for help. Veterans who have digital access can stay connected and access essential services and support, such as healthcare, veteran services, as well as find jobs and other resources to help them get back on their feet. On the contrary, those who don't have access to available resources, benefits and services may encounter more complex behavioral health concerns. In 2020, approximately 5.2 million veterans experienced a behavioral health condition¹.

"Millions of devices end up in landfills every year, why not recycle and reuse those devices, and instead use them to do good and help someone in need?" asked Rob Bergquist, co-founder and president of Cell Phones for Soldiers. "Cell Phones for Soldiers encourages consumers to think consciously about the disposition of their devices when cleaning out their junk drawers or upgrading their phones and instead donate them. It would not only help the environment, but help connect our Veteran community to essential resources."

"The Cellphones for Soldiers program now provides the most needed tool to help Veterans who are Homeless. Socks no longer are the #1 item," said Jim Lindenmayer, founder of the Cherokee County Homeless Veteran program and advocate for Veterans. "This program allows us to give the homeless Veteran a more permanent phone solution so they can access our social media outreach, VA appointments, food banks, jobs and provides other needed communications capability that they have not had in the past. Many homeless Veterans have used limited time/cost phone programs in the past that provided only partial monthly coverage. The problem with these types of service programs is that if we cannot connect with the Veteran on products and services to help them, he/she may miss out on needed support. For instance, if the VA does not connect with the Veteran on two tries, their claim gets canceled and they have to start the process all over again."

Cell Phones For Soldiers is a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services and emergency funding to active-duty military members and veterans. For nearly 20 years, the charity has provided more than 450 million minutes of talk time to servicemen and women deployed around the world, by recycling more than 27 million cell phones reducing the impact on landfills.

Media Contacts:
Matthew Richardson
Guyer Group for Cell Phones for Soldiers
[email protected]

Kimberly Otzman
Guyer Group for Cell Phones for Soldiers
[email protected]

^¹ Mobbs M, Bonanno G. Beyond war and PTSD: the crucial role of transition stress in the lives of military veterans. Clin Psychol Rev. (2018) 59:137–44. 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.11.007 [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]

SOURCE Cell Phones for Soldiers