Registered 501(c)3 Organization Hopes to Collect 50,000 Cell Phones, Enough to Provide 3 Million Minutes Calling Time for Troops Serving Overseas

NORWELL, Mass., July 1, 2009 – There are 5,000 soldiers in Afghanistan who will be talking to their loved ones this 4th of July, thanks to Aurora Bank’s collection of recycled cell phones. The bank’s presentation of over 1,500 used cell phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers provided 5,000 calling cards for the 4-25 BCT Army Battalion. Colonel Michael Howard graciously accepted the phone cards from Cell Phones for Soldiers and Aurora Bank on behalf of the 4,868 soldiers that are serving under his command as part of “Operation Enduring Freedom”.  

The ambitious goal is only one percent of the estimated 7.2 million cell phones Americans will retire during the month of July and the celebration of our independence. The vast majority of these phones will be added to landfills, where they pose a toxic risk to the surrounding environment.

“Donating your old cell phone is a small, easy sacrifice to make to support our troops.” says Brittany Bergquist, Cell Phones for Soldiers co-founder. “But for the troops overseas, it provides a priceless connection to their loved ones at home.  Because of substantial donations from companies like Aurora Bank, we have never had to say no to a deployed soldier. We are honored to present these cards to an entire battalion because of the efforts of Aurora Bank to collect phones for Cell Phones for Soldiers.” 

“We are grateful that Cell Phones for Soldiers is able to repurpose old cell phones for the benefit of our country’s soldiers and their families.” Noted Ted Janulis, Chairman of Aurora Bank FSB. “It is so important for these men and women to be able to connect with their loved ones back home and we are proud to be a part of this effort.”

In recognition of July 4th events all over the country, Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to collect more than 50,000 phones to keep troops serving overseas connected with their loved ones at home.

Cell Phones for Soldiers safely recycles retired cell phones, and uses the proceeds to provide prepaid calling cards for the brave men and women serving in the Armed Forces abroad. The average recycled cell phone is worth enough to provide a 60 minute calling card for international use.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., 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.

“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 continues as we have soldiers being deployed all over the world and many in the Middle East are being 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.  They are also researching programs to provide technology for returning Veterans to aid their transition back into the work force. 

The donated phones are sent to ReCellular, which reimburses Cell Phones for Soldiers for recycled phones. 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