City kicks off Cell Phones for Soldiers collection drive

More than 150,000 troops are serving overseas and are away from their families.

Cell Phones for Soldiers and the City of Maricopa are calling on all residents to support for these brave men and women by donating your unused cell phones. Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to collect over 50,000 cell phones this year to help keep troops connected with their families.

“Over the past few years, we have been amazed by the generosity of others. But, we have also seen the need to support our troops continue,” says Brittany Bergquist, Cell Phones for Soldiers co-founder. “It is easy for Americans to make a small sacrifice of support by donating their unused cell phones and providing families with a much-needed connection to their loved ones overseas.”

Local residents can support the collection drive by donating their phones at the following locations:

City Hall, 45145 W. Madison Ave., Monday to Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Just A Buck, 21476 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite C-103
Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Poco Loco, 20800 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite 113
Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays noon – 5 p.m.

The Water Boy, 44480 W. Honeycutt Road
Monday to Saturday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays noon – 6 p.m.

“We’re proud to show our support for U.S. soldiers, and to contribute to a worthy cause like Cell Phones for Soldiers,” says Jennifer Grentz, marketing and communications manager for Maricopa.

Teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., founded cell Phones for Soldiers with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas. Their goal is to provide every U.S. soldier with a way to call home for free.

“We are continuously overwhelmed by the enthusiastic support of thousands of Americans who have helped our troops speak with their loved ones,” says the teens’ father, Bob Bergquist. “However, the need for support keeps growing as more soldiers are sent to the Middle East or are asked to serve extended tours of duty.”

Through increased fundraising efforts, the Bergquist family hopes to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to fund new programs, such as providing video phones and prepaid service to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis.

The donated phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each phone – enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad.

Approximately half of the phones ReCellular processes are reconditioned and resold to wholesale companies in over 40 countries around the world. Phones and components that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and recycled to reclaim materials, including:

Gold, silver and platinum from circuit boards
Copper wiring from phone chargers
Nickel, iron, cadmium and lead from battery packs
Plastic from phone cases and accessories

For more information, please visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.

File photo