News & Events

Click here to Listen to Brittany Bergquist’s recent interview with CBS Radio

Over the month of June, NewsRadio 1120 KMOX "Total Information AM" host, Doug McElvein, encouraged listeners to bring their old phones into any company-owned AT&T store and donate them to Cell Phones for Soldiers. If you're not familiar, Cell Phones for Soldiers is a non-profit organization that collects and recycles used wireless phones. With the proceeds from the recycling, the organization then purchases prepaid phone cards for military families. AT&T supports this cause in all 2,000-plus company-owned wireless store locations across the country by serving as drop-off sites to help recycle used cell phones for the program.

KMOX's month-long promotion of Cell Phones for Soldiers culminated in a two-hour cell phone drive event on Saturday, June 26 at the new AT&T store in Brentwood located at 1811 S. Brentwood Blvd. With the help of Mr. McElvein, KMOX and St. Louis' favorite mascot, Fredbird, at least 150 phones were collected for Cell Phones For Soldiers in just two short hours. Many hundreds more were donated across the city throughout the month. AT&T will also continue to collect old phones year-round in support of this cause.

In addition to encouraging listeners to donate old phones to the cause, KMOX also donated $1,000 to Cell Phones for Soldiers through their KMOX Cares program. KMOX, in partnership with Overhead Door Company of St. Louis and YouthBridge Community Foundation, offers six KMOX personalities a chance to make a difference by giving them $1,000 each in an effort to raise more money and awareness for an organization of their choice. More information on the KMOX Cares program can be found at KMOX.com/Cares.

Helping GIs phone home

Brittany Bergquist of Norwell was 13 in April 2004 when she heard a news report about a US Army Reserve sergeant’s family in Natick that was struggling to pay more than $7,000 in phone bills rung up by his calls home from Iraq.

Brittany and her brother, Robbie, who was 12, decided to help pay the bill.

"We ran upstairs and got all our money out of our piggy banks,’’ Brittany, now 20, recalled. "We had $14.’’

They told their friends, who donated a few dollars more. A local bank kicked in $500.

They realized their effort had the potential to catch on. And when they hit upon a simple, ingenious idea — collect old cellular phones to send to the troops with prepaid minutes loaded on them — Cell Phones for Soldiers was born.

Soon the Bergquists’ garage was brimming with boxes of cellphones. A company in Michigan offered to pay them to recycle the donated phones elsewhere, so the siblings decided to purchase prepaid calling cards and send them to the troops instead of the phones.

AT&T set up collection stations across the country. Donations of money, calling cards, and phones poured in.

To date, they have collected 7.5 million cellphones, which they have turned into 90 million prepaid calling card minutes.

The work required to organize this effort took its toll.

"On weekends when our friends were going out to play, we were at home, working,’’ Brittany recalled.

But Brittany, now a sophomore at Stonehill College in Easton, said she and Robbie, who is a freshman at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, believe the rewards of setting up a successful charity have outweighed the costs.

"I think we got way more than we ever would have as regular kids,’’ she said. "It means a lot for us to be able to do it for our heroes.’’

Media Contact:

Sarah Merritt
704.898.6469
smerritt@aspirecommunications.org

CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS TO PROVIDE 750,000 FREE COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN 2011

Charity Calls on Partners to Aid in Bridging Communication Gap

Norwell, Mass. (Jan. 31, 2011) – Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing FREE calls home to U.S. armed forces, today announced its commitment to provide 750,000 communication tools in 2011 to troops stationed around the world, fulfilling a financial and emotional need of deployed armed forces.

The charity hopes to fulfill its goal for 2011 through new alliances and continued partnerships with corporate supporters including AT&T, General Motors, Santa Rita Wine and many valuable partners consisting of corporate partners, small businesses, individuals, non-profit organizations, faith institutes, school groups and others. Supporters have raised funds for the program through the collection of used mobile phones and the contribution of cash donations.

"Each year we are overwhelmed by the amount of requests received from deployed soldiers," said Brittany Bergquist, co-founder of Cell Phones for Soldiers. "Without the support of loyal partners, we would not be able to provide precious calls home to thousands of military members. We felt setting a goal for 2011 would create not only a barometer for success but also challenge current and new supporters to creatively engage and activate for troops around the world."

The Center for American Progress claims 42 percent of military personnel feel like a guest in their own home following deployment and that one in five returning troops suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to bridge the support gap by fulfilling the emotional need for families to communicate on a regular basis during deployments by providing free calls home.

Calling home from overseas is a costly expense. Roaming fees from Afghanistan average $3.99 a minute, making a call home a rarity for many military professionals. Thanks to supporters, Cell Phones for Soldiers can provide calls home free of charge. The charity’s largest contributors in 2010 were AT&T, General Motors and Santa Rita Wine.

• AT&T, a premier wireless communications company collected used mobile phones for the charity resulting in $1 million in donations.
• General Motors committed to provide Cell Phones for Soldiers with $1 million in donations through the collection of used mobile phones and cash donations. Phone collection efforts have warranted 11,000 hours of talk time for military overseas. A generous cash donation also was contributed in 2010, providing the charity with $20,000 in funds for military communication programs. The effort will continue in 2011.
• Santa Rita Wine, and parent company Palm Bay Imports, provided the program with more than $60,000 in monetary contributions.

"This year we want to grow the program in new and exciting ways,” president of Cell Phones for Soldiers, Bob Bergquist said. “Not only do we want to provide a means for our deployed heroes to call home, but we want to supply that precious connection more regularly so troops can call home as much as possible."

Instructions on how to support Cell Phones for Soldiers and its mission to provide 750,000 FREE communication tools in 2011 can be found at www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. Supporters also can track the charity’s success throughout the year at www.facebook.com/JoinCellPhonesforSoldiers.

Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. (CPFS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing deployed and returning troops cost-free methods to communicate with family while serving in the United States military. Based in Norwell, Mass., CPFS was founded in 2004 by Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, then 12 and 13 years old. From the recycling of used mobile phones and cash donations, the organization has raised more than $7 million, collected more than 7.5 million cell phones and provided troops overseas with more than 90 million minutes of free talk time. For more information www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JoinCellPhonesforSoldiers.

CHEVROLET TO RAISE $1 MILLION TO HELP U.S. TROOPS

CALL HOMEts well with Chevrolet's long-standing commitment to support the men and women serving our country," said Mark Degnan, General Motors director of Local Advertising and Marketing. "Personally, with a brother and a nephew in active duty in Iraq, I know how important every call home can be for soldiers overseas, and their families at home."

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist. To date, they have provided more than 60 million minutes of free calling cards through a national network of individual and corporate supporters.

Cell Phones for Soldiers recently announced a new campaign to offer free cell phones to all armed forces returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Returning troops can receive a refurbished phone, preloaded with a month's worth of calling time, to help them restart their lives after active duty.

To help raise funds for Cell Phones for Soldiers, Chevrolet is launching a year-long campaign, including:

• Calling on all 77,000 General Motors employees in the U.S. to donate their personal phones to the program.
• Introducing Cell Phones for Soldiers to millions of NASCAR fans at 15 Chevy Racing events in throughout the 2010 race season. In May, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. introduced Cell Phones for Soldiers to NASCAR fans at Richmond International Raceway. Additional Cell Phones for Soldiers events will be held at Ponono, Michigan International Speedway, Daytona, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Kansas, and Fontana race tracks.
• Providing Cell Phones for Soldiers collection boxes throughout the Chevrolet dealer network, providing thousands of collection centers across the U.S.

Individuals who would like to support the cause also can also download a pre-paid mailing label at http://recwebtest/gm, to ship donations of one to one hundred cell phones.

"There are more than 130 million phones retired every year in the United States," said Robbie Bergquist, "If just 2 percent of Americans were to donate their unwanted phones, we could supply every soldier with a free call home – and a small measure of our national gratitude."

About Cell Phones for Soldiers:

Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by Brittany & Robbie Bergquist of Norwell MA. After reading a story about a soldier who ran up a huge phone bill calling home from Iraq, these two teenagers decided to help out. They started by opening an account with $21.00 of their own money. They are collecting cash donations and old cell phones. The cell phones are recycled for cash and the proceeds are used to buy prepaid calling cards for our soldiers serving in the Middle East. Cell Phones For Soldiers is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Their efforts have motivated people and businesses around the country to donate to this worthy cause. Their goal is to provide every US soldier with a way to call home for free. For more information, please visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com

# # #

About Chevrolet:

Chevrolet is a global automotive brand, with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars, such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly" solutions, such as the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco model that is expected to deliver up to an estimated 40 mpg highway, and 2011 Chevrolet Volt that will offer up to 40 miles of electric driving and an additional 300 miles of extended range with the onboard generator (based on GM testing). Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security, and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

CONTACT(S):

Monte Doran
Chevrolet Communications
313-348-2317
monte.doran@gm.com

Mike Newman
Cell Phones for Soldiers Communications
734-223-4430
mnewman@recellular.com

CISCO TEAMS UP WITH CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS TO SEND CARE PACKAGES TO TROOPS

CISCO in Research Triangle Park, NC recently helped pack over 600 care packages that will be sent to service members serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Republic of Georgia.  Cell Phones for Soldiers Calling cards were put in the care packages.

CISCO is also working to help out a local charity, support for soldiers who have ~4,000lbs of care package goods that need to get to Afghanistan to support the 5th Stryker Brigade.

To learn more about the efforts, here is a link to a news story about the event.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/video?id=7443906

LIBERTY TAX LOCATIONS EXCEED 10,000 PHONES IN 2010

Liberty Tax Locations throughout the country have collectively donated over 10,000 phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers in 2010.

Brittany and Robbie Bergquist and Cell Phones for Soldiers send out a huge THANK YOU to all of the Liberty Tax locations that helped raise over 600,000 minutes of talk time for troops this year.

PRESS RELEASE: LITTLE CAESARS® PIZZA IS TEAMING WITH CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS TO PROVIDE CALLING CARDS FOR OUR TROOPS

DETROIT – Little Caesar Enterprises Inc. today announced it will be a proud sponsor of Cell Phones for Soldiers during the months of March and April. Little Caesars will collect used cell phones to help raise money for calling cards so our troops can call home. Beginning March 1, postage-paid envelopes will be available to Little Caesars customers across the country so they can donate their old cell phones to support our troops. Each retired cell phone donated equates to approximately 60 minutes of talk time for our men and women serving the USA to talk to their loved ones.
           
“We are excited to be teaming up with Cell Phones for Soldiers to help our troops connect with their friends and family when they are stationed overseas,” said Linda “LJ” Jaworski, senior vice president Marketing & Communications, Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. “Our brave men and women in the military sacrifice so much to protect our freedom, this is just a small way we can show our appreciation for all that they do.”

During March and April customers can receive a Little Caesars/Cell Phones for Soldiers postage-paid mailing envelope with their order at participating restaurants. Customers who provide their e-mail address in the space provided on the mailing envelope will receive a special coupon offer for Little Caesars via e-mail.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, age 12 and 13, respectively, at the time.  To date, they have provided more than 62 million minutes of free calling cards thanks to a national network of individual and corporate supporters donating phones and money. 

"With over 200,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan it is important for us to find ways for them to communicate with loved ones back home,” said Brittany Bergquist, co-founder, Cell Phones for Soldiers. “We are thrilled to be working with Little Caesars to help provide calling cards to even more troops who need them.”

Cell Phones for Soldiers distributed its 1 millionth calling card during the Thanksgiving Holiday of 2009 to a unit of soldiers serving in Kuwait. Cell Phones for Soldiers is currently distributing over 7,500 calling cards per week to deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors, care packages, airport greeter organizations and deployment ceremonies.

In addition to providing a valuable benefit to out troops, Cell Phones for Soldiers is also providing a service to the environment. There are more than 130 million used phones retired every year in the United States.  Though each phone on its own may not pose much of an environmental risk, the cumulative impact is significant.  Those 130 million phones contain more than 16 million pounds of hazardous waste and only a small percentage are currently recycled.
 
Little Caesars has been committed to giving back to the community since its founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened the first store on May 8, 1959. In 2006, Little Caesars created the Little Caesars Veterans Program to thank the men and women who have served in the armed forces and provide them with business ownership opportunities when they return home.

“The Little Caesars Veterans Program is helping veterans change their lives and build for their futures,” said Jaworski. “Now, with this program with Cell Phones for Soldiers, we can support our soldiers who are currently deployed and need assistance contacting home.”

About Little Caesars
Little Caesars Pizza founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened their first restaurant in Garden City, Michigan, in 1959. Little Caesars, the fastest growing pizza chain, built more stores in the world in 2009 than any other pizza brand and today is the largest carry-out chain globally with restaurants on five continents. Little Caesars is growing in prime markets across the country, and is offering strong franchisee candidates an opportunity for independence with a proven system. In addition, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar.

In addition to Little Caesars Pizza, Ilitch companies in the food, sports and entertainment industries include: the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., Uptown Entertainment, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and a variety of venues within these entities. Michael Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers. Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel.

For more information about the Little Caesars and available franchise opportunities, visit www.LittleCaesars.com or call 1.800.553.5776.

PRESS RELEASE: CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS ANNOUNCES FREE PHONE PROGRAM FOR RETURNING TROOPS

"Helping Heroes Home" Campaign Assists Transition to Civilian Life

Las Vegas, NV, January 7 -- In response to a growing need to support military members returning from active duty, Cell Phones for Soldiers today announced an expansion of their services by offering free cell phones to all armed forces returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

To achieve this goal, the charity is calling on all Americans to donate their old phones to the cause.  The free phones are drawn from those donated by individuals and corporations; to achieve this goal, an additional 1 million phones will need to be donated in 2010.

“With tens of thousands of our brave troops returning from active duty this year, the need to help them get back on their feet here at home has never been greater,” said Brittany Bergquist, cofounder of Cell Phones for Soldiers.”We are thrilled to be able to provide this tremendous service to our brave men and women.”

The Helping Heroes Home campaign relies on the donations of used phones.  Qualifying phones are refurbished and given to requesting soldiers along with a month of calling time.  Other donated phones will either be recycled or used to fund the charity’s free calling-card program for troops overseas.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist.  To date, they have provided more than 60,000,000 minutes of free calling cards thanks to a national network of individual and corporate supporters donating phones and money. 

“There are more than 130 million phones retired every year in the United States,” said Robbie Bergquist, cofounder of Cell Phones for Soldiers. “If just 2% of all American’s were to donate their phones, we could supply every troop with a phone as a small measure of the gratitude of a nation.”

Sponsors for this initiative include the Consumer Electronics Association, One Source Inc. and ReCellular Inc. 

CUB SCOUNTS ROUNDING UP CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS

Published: Tuesday, November 3, 2009
By Michael C. Butz
MButz@News-Herald.com

When his older brother was stationed in Iraq, 11-year-old Jesse Sidhu said he only used to get to talk with him about once every six months.

The phone calls were infrequent, but the Wickliffe resident said he always was excited to talk to his brother, a Marine who's now stationed in California.

"He told me all about the bad guys," said Jesse, who's a Cub Scout in Wickliffe-based Pack 289.

 
Now, with help from Pack 289, it's hoped that countless other kids might get to experience the same excitement Jesse did but a little more often. The pack is set to kick off a Cell Phones for Soldiers campaign and spent a night last week at Wickliffe Presbyterian Church assembling and decorating the donation boxes.

"We're proud of our Cub Scouts for showing support for U.S. soldiers, and for contributing to a worthy cause like Cell Phones for Soldiers," said Erin Vanatta, assistant Cubmaster for Pack 289 of Wickliffe. "This ... is a great way to donate old phones that would otherwise sit in a drawer."

Cell Phones for Soldiers is a national nonprofit that collects and recycles used cell phones. The money it earns from recycling the old phones is then used to buy prepaid calling cards for troops serving in the Middle East. It's estimated that each phone donated amounts to an hour of free talk time.

"I like the project because it helps support our troops," said 10-year-old Jacob Link of Willowick. "(The phones) can go to families so they can get emotionally stronger. (The troops) won't miss their families as much."

The donation boxes will be placed in three Revol Wireless stores in Lake County: 34031 Vine St., Eastlake; 29 Fern Drive, Painesville; and 28152 Chardon Road, Willoughby Hills.

The boxes should be in those stores now and will stay there through at least Christmas, said Vanatta, adding that donated phones are tax-deductible.

"We're hoping for 100 phones (to be donated)," she said. "That would be a great thing, and it's a reasonable number."

The pack is off to a good start. They already have 16 phones collected thanks to word-of-mouth advertising.

"You guys already have 16 hours of talk time for soldiers overseas," Vanatta explained to the pack, which consists of 47 first- to fifth-graders from Wickliffe, Eastlake, Mentor, Willoughby Hills and Willowick. The project is part of the 100th anniversary of scouting. Cub Scouts across the country can earn an award by completing various tasks, and the Cell Phones for Soldiers campaign is just one way in which the boys in Pack 289 hope to earn their awards, Cubmaster Andy Hunger said.

Wickliffe resident Paul Archibald, whose 10-year-old and 6-year-old grandsons, Mitchell and Nathan, are in Pack 289, said he hopes all the boys gain a sense of responsibility through participating in the Cell Phones for Soldiers campaign.

"(I hope they get out of this project) the knowledge that there are other people they have to look after and support, not only in their back yards, but in other cities, communities and overseas where these brave individuals are," he said.

MARCOPHILE: ISLANDERS, AT&T TEAM UP TO HELP THE TROOPS

Kara Grifoni, manager of the AT&T store in the Marco Town Center Mall, processes some of the cell phones donated to the project to help American troops abroad.     Don Farmer / Special to the Eagle

BY CHRIS CURLE, DON FARMER - If you are upgrading your cell phone to a PDA such as a Treo, a Blackberry or an iPhone, whatever, don’t toss your older phone into the trash.

Take it to the AT&T store in Town Center Mall and that company will put the old phone to good use for military personnel overseas.

The phones are recycled and the proceeds from that are used to buy free phone cards for the troops. It’s a joint project by AT&T and the Cell Phones for Soldiers organization. A side benefit is that the old phones are disposed of in a safe, none polluting way.

Kara Grifoni, manager of the AT&T store on Marco, is an enthusiastic promoter of the cell phone program to help the troops.

“We love it when customers bring in phones they want to replace for the project,” says Grifoni. “We send the phones immediately to the recycling location.”

Kara also has announced a discount incentive at the Marco AT&T store.

“Anyone who brings in a cell phone for recycling will get a 10 percent discount on any accessory product we sell here,” she says. The discount is not for new phone instruments but includes all accessories, such as leather cases, cables, wireless ear pieces, etc.

Already, AT&T and the charity have recycled more than 2.5 million wireless devices in the past year. Even so, the EPA estimates that only about 10 percent of all discarded cell phones are actually recycled.

Yet the recycling firm ReCellular estimates says the recycling already has helped avoid creating 153 tons of electronic waste in the past year. By their calculations, that’s the equivalent of enough energy to power approximately 7,709 U.S. households for a year.

AT&T offers two ways for consumers to donate phones. Wireless customers of any carrier can drop off used cell phones and accessories at any of the 2,000-plus AT&T corporate-owned stores across the U.S. Or, they can download free shipping labels from att.com/recyclewireless.

The Marco store at Town Center Mall is a franchise property that eagerly takes part in the project thanks to the initiative of manager Kara Grifoni.

VETERANS & FAMILY MEMORIAL CARE RAISES A QUARTER
MILLION FREE CALLING TIME MINUTES FOR TROOPS

SANIBEL, FL- More than 150,000 troops are serving overseas and are away from their families. Sanibel, Florida based Veterans & Family Memorial Care is calling on all Americans to support these brave men and women by donating their old cell phones. Since May, VFMC’s exclusive funeral home provider network has collected nearly 4000 old cell phones that have translated into over two hundred twenty two thousand (222,000) free calling time minutes for our heroes overseas. “Our strategic alliance with Cell Phones for Soldiers has been a tremendous success” said Mark Davis, CEO & founder of Veterans & Family Memorial Care. “Our nationwide network of over 700 family owned funeral homes in 45 states, are committed to giving every soldier serving overseas a much needed connection to their loved ones back home.” 

People in communities nationwide can donate their old cell phones to the cause at any one of the over 700 Exclusive VFMC Providers in 45 states and Guam. The goal of the collection drive is to collect 5,000 phones over the next three months. To find a drop-off location near you visit www.VeteransFuneralHomes.com and go to the Veterans Funeral Home Directory or call toll free (866) 770-6791.

Americans will replace an estimated 130 million cell phones this year,” says Mike Newman, vice president of ReCellular, “with the majority of phones either discarded or stuffed in a drawer.  Most people don’t realize that the small sacrifice of donating their unwanted phones can have a tremendous benefit for a worthy cause like Cell Phones for Soldiers.”

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 501(c)3 non-profit organization has raised millions of dollars in donations and distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.

"We have been overwhelmed by the generous 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 to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis.

The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated 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 the highest environmental standards.

AURORA BANK FSB PRESENTS A SPECIAL 4TH OF JULY GIFT TO CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS AND “OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM”

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 5,000 100 minute 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.

The ambitious goal is only one percent of the estimated 7.2 million cell phones Americans will retire during the 4th of July events throughout the country in the month of July. The vast majority of these phones will be added to landfills, where they pose a toxic risk to the surrounding environment.

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:

Kohl's Selects 10 Young Volunteers for National Recognition

AT&T and Cell Phones for Soldiers Surpass First-Year Goal, Raising Over $2 Million to Support U.S. Troops With Free Phone Cards

Cell Phones for Soldiers and Home Properties Launch National Cell Phone Collection at 114 Locations

Comcast Cable's Eastern Division, Cell Phones For Soldiers And ReCellular Team Up To Connect Troops With Their Families This Father's Day And Year-Round

Cell Phones for Soldiers to Turn Donated Phones Into 18 Million Calling Card Minutes for U.S. Troops

The CIGNA Falmouth Road Race is proud to announce that they will partner with the Norwell-based group Cell Phones for Soldiers

The 2008 New England Innovation Awards "Patriot Award" has been presented to Brittany and Robbie Bergquist

The 2008 New England Innovation Awards "Patriot Award" was presented to Brittany Bergquist and Robbie Bergquist, CellPhonesForSoldiers.com, by SBANE Chairman, Ed Estrowski, at the special gala dinner May 7, 2008. Brittany and Robbie were honored for their outstanding and unselfish service to our fellow countrymen. SBANE is proud to recognize those whose efforts make a difference in our daily lives and contribute toward the sustainability of our programs here and abroad.

   

HOAR Program Management and Cell Phones for Soldiers Kick off Cell Phone Drive for the Month of June

As we all prepare for Independence Day and a salute to the men and women serving this country, Hoar Program Management will be sponsoring cell phone drop boxes at the following program management offices from June 6, 2008 through June 28, 2008:
- Birmingham, AL
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Houston, TX
- Dallas, TX
Each location will also be accepting prepaid calling cards and checks made out to Cell Phones for Soldiers. The Birmingham office will close the collection drive with an event at Veteran's Park on June 28, 2008 in Birmingham, AL.

Our goal is to collect enough phones and money to supply 1,000 hours of talk time to our soldiers overseas.

For details, please see our website at http://www.hoarpm.com/community_service/default.aspx or from the main Hoar Program Management website http://www.hoarpm.com/ by going to the "About HPM" selection and scrolling to "Community Service".

We look forward to a successful drive and appreciate everyone who participates and contributes as we support our soldiers who are away from their families serving to protect us and preserve the freedoms that generation after generation has fought for.

Join "THE DJ" As He Camps Some 20-Feet High On A Tower To Raise Funds For Cell Phones For Soldiers

Tupelo, Ms - For every dollar you donate you will be entered into a drawing to win one of many fabulous prizes!

AT&T and Cell Phone for Soldiers Celebrate Fleet Week

Eight hundred hours of talk time. That's what one Army unit in Iraq will get thanks to a group of Hawaii second graders. Carson Risdon's Dad is in Iraq, and everytime the phone rings he hopes it will be his father on the other end. "I just like my dad calling, it's really fun I don't get to talk to him much because theres a web cam thing that won't work," Risdon said.

Hawaii Second Graders Donated Cell Phones For Soldiers

Eight hundred hours of talk time. That's what one Army unit in Iraq will get thanks to a group of Hawaii second graders. Carson Risdon's Dad is in Iraq, and everytime the phone rings he hopes it will be his father on the other end. "I just like my dad calling, it's really fun I don't get to talk to him much because theres a web cam thing that won't work," Risdon said.

Teens help troops stay in touch

The teenage Bergquists were invited to attend and be honored yesterday at Shinnyo-En Hawaii's 10th annual Memorial Day floating lantern ceremony. They were to go to Holy Family Catholic Academy to pick up hundreds of cell phones collected by students and to give phone cards to children of deployed military.

Businesses help troops call home

The owner of Helen's Haven, a tiny spa on Kilauea Avenue, is helping a national nonprofit called Cell Phones for Soldiers meet its goal of 15,000 donated cell phones each month to help American military people overseas stay in touch with their loved ones at home.

Madison County helps recycle phones so soldiers can call home

Belleville News Democrat - IL, USA
The organization's founders, Brittany Bergquist, 17, and her brother, Robbie, 16, sell the phones to a recycler and use the money to buy prepaid phone cards ...

Cell Phones for Soldiers and Pak Mail kicks off national cell phone collection drive

Cell Phones for Soldiers and Pak Mail, the world's premier business solutions center with 430 U.S. locations and 60 international sites, are calling on all Americans to support the brave men and women serving abroad by donating your unused cell phones. Local residents can support the collection drive by donating their phones at any Pak Mail location. To find a location near you visit www.pakmail.com and utilize the zip code finder.

Teens help troops phone home

NORWELL, Mass. — At the holidays, for a soldier at war, there's nothing like a phone call home. Brittany and Robbie Bergquist have provided more than $1.4 million worth of them — 24 million precious minutes. The Bergquists are teenage siblings who didn't even own a cellphone in 2004, when they heard that an Army reservist faced a $7,600 bill for making calls home from Iraq.

Britany & Robbie Win Microsoft Above and Beyond Youth Leadership Award

Sister and brother Brittany and Robbie Bergquist created their program, Cell Phones for Soldiers, in 2004 when they were 13 and 12 years old, respectively. They learned of a soldier who had run up a cell phone bill of nearly $8,000 calling home to his family. Having a cousin serving in Iraq at the time made them realize the importance of keeping in touch with loved ones.

Read the full release at www.microsoft.com    Read more about the star-studded awards ceremony

Photos of the awards ceremony (click on thumbnail to view full image)

Cell Phones Can Turn Into Calling Cards For Soldiers

Fox 2 News, St. Louis - Your old cell phone can help a soldier stay in touch with family. FOX 2's Bonita Cornute tells us how a program called “Cell Phones For Soldiers” brings comfort to military families. O'Fallon, Illinois VFW Post 805 helps collect the wireless treasures. The trade off – one old phone generates two new phone cards!

View the video at www.myfoxstl.com

Santa Rita Teams up with CPFS to Salute Our Armed Forces

From September 1 through December 31, 2007, a portion of the proceeds of Santa Rita wines sold at participating retailers will be donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers, an organization that provides pre-paid phone cards to our armed forces overseas. Santa Rita’s goal is to raise $100,000 towards phone cards for our service men and women serving abroad this holiday season.

In addition, Santa Rita is sponsoring the placement of cell phone drop boxes throughout the country, running local radio and newspaper advertising, and attaching coupons and information to its bottles on store shelves. To order a drop box or to donate your cell phone, visit www.santaritacares.com.

Read the full release at www.palmbay.com

NEED FLOWERS?

Cell Phones for Soldiers recently collaborated with Rosemont Floral in the Touching Hearts Fundraising Partnership to raise money for phone cards to help troops abroad call home. When you use Rosemont Floral for flower orders over $25.00, a contribution of $3.00 will be go directly towards Cell Phones for Soldiers. Orders can be placed for across town or across the country. Just mention the Touching Hearts ID: SOLDIERS and Rosemont Floral will take care of the rest. If you order online, simply enter SOLDIERS into the comments field. Share the Touching Hearts Fundraising Partnership information with friends and family and help Rosemont Floral raise funds and awareness about this much need service. Don’t forget to send flowers to all those Dads n’Grads in your life!

Cell phones aiding soldiers

DO YOU have a couple of old cell phones lying around, and you don’t know what to do with them? Give them to a good cause — Cell Phones for Soldiers.

In conjunction with Veterans Day, AT&T-owned stores nationwide — including the Ohio Valley Mall location — are asking Americans to drop off all their used cell phones to benefit a charitable program that helps U.S. military families stay connected. There is a box stationed at the entrance to the Ohio Valley Mall store.

Read more at www.timesleaderonline.com

Support for Cell Phones for Soldiers drive continues to grow

Florida - From sadness comes hope as woman honors her nephew. When Alixis Mendez Hull’s nephew, Cpl. Justin R. Garcia, died late last year in Iraq, the resident of the Village of Florida looked to honor his memory and his service. “Justin’s story is a poignant one and he left an inspiring legacy,” Hull said.

Read more by visiting www.strausnews.com

Girl Scouts helping servicemen

With almost everyone including kindergartners carrying cell phones these days, it’s often hard to decide what to do with an old lifeline that has seen better days. That’s where the girls of Bremerton’s Girl Scout Troop 50599 are waiting to lend a helping hand. The troop recently joined the nationwide Cell Phones for Soldiers program and is collecting cell phones, which are recycled for cash and those proceeds are used to purchase prepaid calling cards for soldiers serving in the Middle East.

Read more by visiting www.centralkitsapreporter.com

Hours Add Up to Free Minutes

Working around school activities such as Brittany's softball practices and Robbie's soccer games, they spend two to three hours a day sorting phones and labeling envelopes. There is little or no time for TV and video games.

Read full release at www.washingtonpost.com

Turner Motorsports Team raises more than $25,000 for CPFS!

Robbie and Brittany donate pre-paid calling cards before the race for deployed service members from NC.

Read full press release at www.turnermotorsportsllc.com

Go to driver James Buescher's official website

Photos of the event (click on thumbnail to view full image)

Tax Service Sends Out Cell Phones

for Troops

MARTINSBURG: Twenty-seven thousand minutes of time to call home — that’s what troops in Iraq will be getting, thanks to the Martinsburg branch of Liberty Tax Service and the “Cell Phones For Soldiers” program.

AT&T launches Cell Phones for Soldiers

Along with the traditional fireworks and cookouts, there is a new way to celebrate Independence Day — donating old cell phones at AT&T Inc. stores, where a Massachusetts-based charity will sell them to buy prepaid phone cards for U.S. soldiers deployed abroad.

Free calls keep troops in touch

Carrollton clan among those helped by Cell Phones for Soldiers

Ashley Parker's husband left Wednesday afternoon. The 25-year-old Carrollton mother of 6-week-old Caleb said the separation is tremendously difficult. "This is the third time he's left," Mrs. Parker said. "When he does this, we normally only talk once a week."

Brittany Bergquist recognized as one of the 'Best & Brightest'

Norwell - Thirteen local students were honored by Community Newspaper Co. as The Best & The Brightest in an award ceremony last week. The Best & The Brightest is a recognition program designed to spotlight outstanding young adults in communities covered by CNC’s local newspapers.

AT&T Supports Cell Phones for Soldiers

A long-standing mission of AT&T is helping connect military families. Cell Phones for Soldiers, initiated in 2004 by 16-year-old Brittany Bergquist and her 15-year-old brother Robbie, uses funds from recycled cell phones to buy prepaid phone cards for active duty military members – to help connect them with their families.

UBNC donates proceeds from 'Third Annual Soldier Down Poker Run'

Special thanks to the United Bikers of Northern California, Yuba-Sutter Chapter, for donating proceeds from their 'Third Annual Soldier Down Poker Run' to the Cell Phones for Soldiers program!

Visit the UBNC Yuba-Sutter website

Photos of the event (click on thumbnail to view full image)

Keep those phones ‘rolling’ in

William Duvall, left, Rolling Thunder Communications sales representative; Arlene Sexton, vice president; Joseph Sexton, left, president; Christina Gali, sales representative, Michael McNamee, cell phone assistant to Bob Martell; and Martell, vice commander for the American Legion Post 488, display an additional donation of 150 cell phones collected recently through the efforts of Rolling Thunder Communications in Monroe. That brings the total number of cell phones donated to 850 from this area for the “Cell Phones for Soldiers” campaign.

Teens’ Program Keeps Troops Connected

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2007 - Two Massachusetts teens are working to turn Americans’ unwanted cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid talk time for the nation’s troops. “Cell Phones for Soldiers is the original (cell phone) recycling program created to benefit the troops and provide free prepaid calling cards and communication assistance to military members and their families,” said Brittany Bergquist, one of the group’s founders.

RMV Partners with CPFS

The Registry of Motor Vehicles has announced a partnership with Cell Phones for Soldiers to benefit Massachusetts soldiers serving in the Middle East.  The phone donation program will run throughout the Summer of 2007.

Helping Soldiers Phone Home

Brittany and Robbie Bergquist collect used cell phones and recycle them for cash to purchase phone cards for troops. They recently partnered with AT&T to make cell phone drop-off boxes available in stores. NBC's Lester Holt reports.

Cell Phones for Soldiers Featured on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric

(CBS) For a 7-year-old who's missing his daddy and a father thousands of miles away at war, a phone call is not just a chance to catch up: It's the only way to cope, CBS News correspondent Kelly Wallace reports.

Westshore Wireless Grand Opening Offers Free Phone Calls

Westshore Wireless is celebrating the grand opening of its North Ridgeville store at 34301 Center Ridge Road on Saturday, June 9, by offering free phone calls to soldiers from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. T-Mobile will provide five-minute phone calls from three dedicated lines to individuals who sign in beginning at 9:30 a.m.

WWII Vet Notes Cell Phone's Value

to Troops

Blackanthem Military News, WASHINGTON, D.C. – When Purple Heart recipient Earl "Scotty" MacKenzie was a World War II Army sergeant, communications with loved ones back home from the South Pacific where he was serving were extremely...

Computers West Club of Sun City West becomes official collection point

The Computers West Club of Sun City West announced that it has become an official collection point for donations of cell phones for the “Cell Phones for Soldiers” program. Cell phones may be dropped off at the Palm Ridge Rec Center at 13800 W Deer Valley Drive from 8:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday.Telephone 623-214-1546.

View the offical press release (PDF)

Kelly is collection point

Kelly Services has joined the Cell Phones for Soldiers program as an official cell phone collection point. Kelly Services is situated at 1705 Village Park Drive in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Cell phones may be dropped off there during normal business hours.

Scholarship to be dedicated in honor, memory of Joseph Finn

Cell Phones for Soldiers will be collaborating with Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island to create a scholarship dedicated in honor to the memory of Joseph Finn, an alumnus of the university. More information regarding the Joseph Finn scholarship will be provided soon.

Photos of event held in memory of Joseph (click on thumbnail to view full image)

Daredevil blasts back to support troops

The 44-year-old Pinckney daredevil brought his "Human Firecracker" act out of retirement to help spur donations of cell phones and phone cards for U.S. troops as part of the Cell Phones for Soldiers drive.

Brittany Bergquist meets with President Bush in the Oval Office

The leaders of several grassroots organizations associated with the Pentagon's America Supports You program met today at the White House to discuss their efforts to support the men and women of the U.S. armed forces with President Bush and first lady Laura Bush.

Senator Bill Larkin announces that his district office will serve as a collection site for Cell Phone For Soldiers

Americans are expected to replace an estimated 130 million cell phones this year. The majority of those phones are thrown in the trash or stuffed in a drawer. "We could turn those old unwanted cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas in 2008 alone," said Senator Larkin.

Fairfax County Teen Centers and Cell Phones for Soldiers Kick Off Cell Phone Collection Drive

Fairfax County Community and Recreation Teen Centers and Cell Phones for Soldiers are calling on all residents to support these brave men and women by donating your unused cell phones. Teen Centers are asking residents to make a small sacrifice of support by donating their unused cell phones and any accessories, providing families with a much-needed connection to their loved ones overseas. It's free and convenient to turn in your used cell phone.

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