As part of its continuing mission to promote goodwill and the positive image of the collision industry, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) has announced support for a national program called "Cell Phones for Soldiers."
Cell Phones for Soldiers, which is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, turns old cell phones into prepaid phone cards for soldiers overseas. The phones are sent to ReCellular, a leading electronics sustainability firm, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone — enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad. To date, the organization has raised almost $2 million in donations and distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.
NABC is encouraging interested members and the industry at large to participate. One option for a shop is to volunteer as a drop-off point for the initiative and periodically send the phones they collect to Cell Phones for Soldiers.
NABC also announced that the upcoming Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Newark, N.J., will serve as a drop-off point for the program. Anyone who wishes to bring their old cell phones to the event will be welcomed.
“This is a very real project that every shop in America can get behind,” said NABC Executive Director Chuck Sulkala. “Helping collect phones that are set aside every day presents a great opportunity. We’ll be turning trash into cash to be used for our deployed military so they can talk to their loved ones at home and, at the same time, taking part in an important recycling effort. Just set up a collection box in your shop and let the community know about it. It’s another perfect example of the collision industry helping folks in need.”
More information:
If you have more questions about the specifics of the program, including how to set yourself up as a collection center, visit the Cell Phones for Soldiers website.
NABC
