Senator Saland Announces “cell Phones For Soldiers” Program

Senator Steve Saland (R,I,C Poughkeepsie) announced his office is participating in the Cell Phones for Soldiers Program. This innovative program allows citizens to donate their old or unused cell phones, which are then sold to a cell phone recycling company. The proceeds are used to buy pre-paid calling cards for service men and women overseas to allow them to call home for free.

The program was started in 2006 by a 12 and 13 year old sister and brother in Massachusetts. Starting with $21 of their own money, their registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 400,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.

“Most people like to have the latest cell phone technology, but what happens to those old cell phones we no longer need?” asked Senator Saland. “Now, rather than toss those old cell phones, which can contain toxic metals, into our landfills, we can put them to good use. They can be sold to a cell phone recycling company and the proceeds from the sale can be used to purchase prepaid calling cards to help our service men and women call home for free. This is a great way to use these old phones – protecting our environment and helping our brave troops,” Saland added.

If you have an old cell phone you would like to donate, just drop it by Senator Saland’s office at 389 Fairview Avenue in Hudson, NY. Please call ahead for hours (518-828-1529). When you drop off a cell phone, you will be provided with a donation receipt for tax purposes. For more information and a link to the Cell Phones for Soldiers website, go to Senator Saland’s website site at www.senatorsaland.com [2]. The Cell Phones for Soldiers website can also provide you with instructions on how to delete personal information from your phone before you donate it.

“This is one small way we can help our troops overseas. By helping them keep in touch with their loved ones, we can boost morale both for the troops and their families. I encourage everyone with an old or unused cell phone to drop it off at my office and I’ll make sure it is delivered to Cell Phones for Soldiers, Saland concluded.