John J Lease Realtors Highland NY 12528- Cell Phones For Soldiers

John J Lease Realtors Highland NY 12528- Cell Phones For Soldiers

JOHN J. LEASE REALTORS IN HIGHLAND NY HAS PARTNERED WITH CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS TO PROVIDE TROOPS WITH FREE CALLS HOME

 John J Lease Realtors and non-profit Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. are asking New Paltz and Highland residents to help troops call home by donating gently-used cellular phones. Although the military landscape is ever changing, as many as 290,000 troops are serving in the U.S. military overseas around the world. By donating to Cell Phones for Soldiers, area residents can provide troops with that precious connection to loved ones back home.

Beginning today, residents can donate their phones at John J Lease Realtors at 550 Route 299 Highland NY.

Associate Broker, Barbara Carter has been collecting phones for three years. Barbara states “Supporting our troops with minutes to speak to loved ones is a small thing we can do and recycling the phones is a great way to protect the environment. Cell Phones for Soldiers is a win/win.”

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist at the ages of 12 and 13. The charity has since provided more than 168 million minutes of free talk time to servicemen and women stationed around the world. Funds raised from the recycling of cellular phones are used to purchase prepaid international calling cards. On average, Cell Phones for Soldiers distributes 12,000 calling cards each week to bases around the world, care package programs, deployment ceremonies and VA hospitals.

“Each year we have been humbled by the amount of people and organizations like John J. Lease Realtors that take the initiative to support our troops,” said co-founder Brittany Bergquist. “We want to continue to mend the communication gap between our armed forces and their loved ones as troops continue to serve our county.”

Donated phones are sent to Michigan-based ReCellular for recycling. For every donated phone valued at $5, Cell Phones for Soldiers is able to provide two and a half hours of free talk time to deployed troops.

Approximately half of the phones ReCellular processes are reconditioned and reused. Phones and components that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and responsibly 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 call Barbara (845) 505 3160 or www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. 

ABOUT CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS INC.

Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services to active duty military members and veterans. Based in Norwell, Mass., Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, then 12 and 13 years old. The organization has provided more than 168 million minutes of free talk time to deployed military members. Beginning in 2012, “Helping Heroes Home” will provide emergency funds for returning veterans to alleviate communication challenges as well as physical, emotional and assimilation hardships. For more information, visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com, www.helpingheroeshome.org or http://www.facebook.com/JoinCellPhonesforSoldiers.