Honoring soldiers and military veterans for the Fourth of July can be as simple as trading in an old cell phone or tablet — with Cell Phones for Soldiers.
This year, the non-profit program has teamed up with AT&T to accept contributions from any wireless customer – regardless of carrier – who brings in an old cell phone or tablet to a local AT&T-owned store.
The value of the qualified device then goes to help deployed and returning troops with cost-free ways to communicate with family, as they serve our country in the armed forces.
Trading in old gadgets is easy, through these three steps:
- Wipe personal data from the device, following steps at www.att.com/ecospace, and restore the device to factory settings.
- Bring in the old device to any AT&T-owned store. They will calculate a trade-in value based on make, model and condition.
- Choose to donate to AT&T’s supported Cell Phones for Soldiers organization.
AT&T will forward the old equipment for recycle or reuse. Company-owned stores can be found with the online locator map.
Founded in 2004 by 12-year-old Robbie and 13-year-old Brittany Bergquist of Norwell, Mass, Cell Phones for Soldiers keeps military families connected by offering free communication tools for those serving overseas in the U.S. military.
Over the last decade, the non-profit provided nearly 3.3 million prepaid calling cards, which translates to 204 million minutes of free talk time.
For each $5 contribution, or donated gadget valued at $5, Cell Phones for Soldiers provides troops with 2.5 hours talk time.
For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.
