cellphones-soldiersEveryone has a cell phone these days. In fact, most people wouldn’t know what to do if they were without theirs for even a minute, much less if they didn’t have one to begin with. Unfortunately, many of our soldiers don’t have one of these devices that so many of us take for granted. Aside from lacking the conveniences so many of us enjoy, it can also hurt their chances of employment, amongst other things.

Introducing Cell Phones for Soldiers

Fortunately, there is a program out there that helps soldiers get the cell phones they need with a little help from the public. Cell Phones for Soldiers join other honorable philanthropies that help our fighting men and women get homes, cars, food and other important features/necessities of modern life.

Brief History

Cell Phones for Solders was founded back in 2004 when brother and sister team, Robbie and Brittany Berquist began the program as mere teenagers. In the past 10 years, they’ve helped over 11.3 million veterans get cell phones. At the same time, they’ve kept these mobile devices from ending up in a landfill. I think we can all agree Cell Phones for Soldiers has found a much better use for them.

In 2012, the Berquists founded yet another organization, Helping Heroes Home, dedicated to helping veterans re-assimilate into society by providing them with emergency funds to breakdown communication issues they may have, fend off emotional hardships and overcome other challenges too.

Minutes That Matter

Aside from providing veterans with cell phones, the charity also helps them with minutes too. They’ve provided servicemen and women with something around three million prepaid calling cards, which is roughly 210 million minutes. Again, all of this is free for these brave soldiers.

How It Works

Cell Phones for Soldiers actually works a number of different ways. You can always donate funds to the philanthropy as you would for any other type of charity. They’ll then use these funds to help veterans get cell phones and the minutes they need to use them. This money also helps with operating costs too.

You can also donate your cell phone so they can then pass it on to a serviceman or woman. There are some stipulations, though, meaning, for the most part, that your phone has to be “gently used” so it will actually work well for the soldier.

If you have a cell phone, you can sell it to the charity, so long as it isn’t in bad shape. They’ll buy it from you and the phone goes to a worthy cause. Plus, you end up with a tax write-off.

The philanthropy can also be helped by enterprising individuals who are willing to set up their own drop-off sites to pick up phones for a limited time before sending them onto the charity.

There are a number of other volunteer opportunities to take advantage of too. Their website lists upcoming events people can help with.

Cell Phones for Soldiers is a very unique way to help those who sacrificed everything to secure the rights we enjoy every day.