This is the eighth year that the Cell Phones for Soldiers drive has taken place. Residents throughout Sen. Griffo’s district have donated approximately 6,400 devices and have provided troops with approximately 590,000 minutes (9,800 hours) of free calls. (Submitted photo)

CHENANGO COUNTY - In honor of Veterans Day and Military Family Appreciation Month and Veterans Day, state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-C-Rome, was joined by the Central New York Veterans Outreach Center this week to kick off this year's  Cell  Phones For Soldiers  collection drive.



For every donated  phone, mobile device or tablet valued at $5,  Cell  Phones For Soldiers is able to provide 2.5 hours of free talk time to deployed troops via calling cards. 

All proceeds from the recycled devices will be used to buy long distance calling cards and other communication services for troops at home and abroad. Some of the phones collected also will go directly into the hands of veterans in need as a part of a new initiative started by the organization this year. The phones will come with unlimited talk and text.  

 

The collection drive started Nov. 9 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 9.  The public can drop off gently used and unwanted  cell  phones and/or tablets at several public locations throughout Sen. Griffo’s district.    

   

Somelocations near Chenango County include : 

Sherburne Public Library: 2 E State St., Sherburne 

New York Pizzeria: 7 S. Main St., New Berlin 

Hamilton Public Library: 13 Broad St., Hamilton   

Cazenovia Public Library: 100 Albany St., Cazenovia           

New Hartford Public Library: 2 Library Lane, New Hartford     

Oneida Public Library: 459 Main St., Oneida 

This is the eighth year that the drive has taken place. Residents throughout Sen. Griffo’s district have donated approximately 6,400 devices and have provided troops with approximately 590,000 minutes (9,800 hours) of free calls.  

 

“The upcoming holidays are an especially hard time  for  our  soldiers  overseas to be so far away from their families, and the simple sound of a loved one’s voice can go a long way to lift up their spirits,”  Sen. Griffo said.  “These brave men and women have stepped up to serve our nation. I am proud to once again team up with the Central New York Veterans Outreach Center and  Cell  Phones  for  Soldiers  to help connect these troops to their families back home.” 

 

“I thank Sen. Griffo for  once again spearheading this important and worthy cause,  Vincent Scalise, Central New York Veterans Outreach Center executive director, said.  “This annual collection drive has helped many men and women serving in our military connect with their families and loved ones during the holidays and throughout the year. It is my hope that the community again steps up to help our troops.” 

On average, Cell Phones For Soldiers distributes 1,500 calling cards each week to bases around the world, care package programs, deployment ceremonies and VA hospitals. Since 2004, the charity has provided U.S. troops with more than  400 million  “Minutes That Matter” and distributed more than 5 million prepaid international calling cards and have recycled more than  25 million  mobile devices, reducing the impact on landfills.    

A donation of a mobile device to this community collection drive doesn’t just help connect active military and veterans with loved ones, it also helps protect the environment by properly and safely recycling them so not to cause electronic waste, which  can be extremely harmful to the environment if it ends up in a landfill.

Cell Phones For Soldiers  works with a recycling partner which dismantles the device securely, identifying which components may be resold for reuse - which helps cut the demand for mining in vulnerable locations, and providing funding for the organization to help service members communicate with home and support veterans in need. 

 

“We are so grateful to Sen. Griffo and his constituents for their ongoing support of our mission to connect America’s bravest,”  said Rob Bergquist, founder and president of Cell Phones For Soldiers. “We now have the capacity to put donated mobile devices—collected through events like Sen. Griffo’s drive—in the hands of low-income and at-risk veterans. These devices will be lifelines to help veterans in need connect with critical resources.” 

   

For more information on  Cell  Phones For Soldiers, please visit  www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.       




-Information from the Office of Sen. Joseph Griffo