Phones 4 Charity Blog

Our Thoughts and prayers are with you Turkey

2011-10-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

Our thoughts are with all of those suffering in Van, Turkey. This was a intense blow to the country of Turkey but they are very strong people and they will overcome this yet as another obstacle that makes them even stronger. The country experienced similar but much more deadly Earthquake on October 17th, 1999, east of Istanbul killing 17,000 people. That quake also caused a deadly Tsunami in the Sea of Marmara. Flooding was so bad in the bay that water had reached the second floor of apartment buildings near shore and and caused millions of dollars in damage.

The country Turkey is a founding memmber of the United Nations and joined NATO in 1952. In Turkey there is no official state religion though the majority of the population is islamic. There are other religions in the area such as Catholics and Jewish citizens as well as because the Turkey's constitution offers the freedom to express your own religious beliefs.

The population as of 2010 was 73 million so it is a very dense population. The majority of the population (67%) are between the ages of 15-64 making it a rather young nation also. I am sorry for turning this into a history lesson but I just thought everyone should know a little about the people of Turkey, it is a beautiful and friendly country with tremendous citizens. Immediately following the Catastrophe in Japan last March The citizens of Turkey made huge efforts helping them with the clean-up and recovery effort and I am sure that is being reciprocated.

On behalf the staff here at Phones 4 Charity our thoughts and prayers are with all of you in Van, Turkey. May this turnaround and recovery be swift and broad. We can be found on the web at www.phones4charity.org. To raise money for the charity of your choice all you have to do is reach out to phones 4 charity and we will assist you in organizing a phone drive. Thanks for tuning in, make it a great day.

The I-Phone 4S is Here...What do you think??

2011-10-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

After a week or so of rumors about the new iPhone coming out Apple finally put the rumors to bed and officially announced the launch of the iPhone 4S. I know a lot of people were waiting for the iPhone 5 to come out but I think we will have to wait another year for that to come to fruition.

Let's take a look at the new model, the iPhone 4S vs. the iPhone4 there are quite a few differences on the inside while the exterior cosmetics remain pretty much unchanged.With the new iPhone the camera has been upgraded to 8 megapixels up from 5 megapixels on the iPhone 4. You can also get the iPhone with increased memory capacity up to 64GB whereas on the older model 32GB was the max. What I am excited about is the dual core 1GHz processor with dual core graphics. I am eager to see how this new system works.

With close to a million phones being pre-ordered before they even hit the shelves today, and another 5-10 million to be sold world wide I cannot emphasize enough that we as a society need to make sure we continue to practice responsible recycling habits. Phones 4 Charity works to tap into the value of all unneeded phones to raise money for a number of charitable organizations worldwide.

While donating an individual phone we can work to make sure the proceeds go to the charity of your choice. Please go to the affiliate charities page on our website at www.phones4charity.org, pick a charity and send us your unwanted phone. We will make sure that we send your charity the support on your behalf.

A lot of people have one or two old cell phones gathering dust in a drawer somewhere. What are you waiting for?? If you don't need them send them in and we can help you to make a difference. To start a larger scale phone drive to support a worthwhile cause please let us know and we would be glad to help. Have a great weekend!!

Saying Goodbye to a Legend

2011-10-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

Last week the world lost an incredible leader and quite possibly the most inspirational leader and CEO that the technology industry has ever witnessed. Of course I am talking about Steve Jobs, CEO and the former face of Apple, Inc. Some people have compared his contributions to the world of technology on par with the contributions Albert Einstein made to science, mathematics and physics.

Though Steve Jobs did not rewrite the laws of physics he did without any question change the way that the world views multi-media. From the creation of the first Macintosh PC to the creation of the i-phone and the i-pad. He has helped to make media content more accessible worldwide. The world is going to miss you Steve!!

As the world of technology changes ever so rapidly it is absolutely paramount that we encourage the responsible recycling of all electronic consumer goods. Phones 4 Charity works not only to keep these electronic consumer goods out of the landfills where they cause irreversible harm to the environment but to tap into the value of these discarded consumer goods in order to raise money for those that need it the most, both in the US and abroad.

Phones 4 Charity works with the the American Red Cross, Give 2 The Troops, Feed The Children and Pink 4 Ever, Inc. to name a few. To Donate an individual phone or to start a phone drive visit us on the web at http://www.phones4charity.org/.

"The American Red Cross name is used with its permission. This in no way constitutes an express or otherwise implied endorsement of any product, service, company, individual or political position."

What is My Old Cell Phone Worth?

2011-05-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

Technology is changing the way we use cell phones. It is also causing people to change their cell phones every 18 months. This means that there are many old cell phones lying around in people's drawers taking up space. If people have thrown out these phones, they have contributed to adding harmful chemicals to the Earth's surface. Lead and mercury are a few of the toxic chemicals found in cell phones that could damage the environment if thrown out inappropriately. If you are one of those people who have a few cell phones lying around, then you should be a good citizen and donate them to charity.

Some people would like to sell them and earn money, but they are not going to get back the same amount they paid. Why would someone want to sell their phone for a few dollars when they can make a difference in the world instead? There are hundreds of organizations that collect working and nonworking cell phones to donate to people who are in need of them. You are sure to find one of them in your area.

Phones 4 Charity is an organization that collects used cell phones, recycles them and donates the proceeds to one of their affiliated charities. AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Feed the Children, National Wildlife Federation, Give 2 The Troops and CORA, an organization for battered women and children, are some of the organizations that Phones 4 Charity works with. If you are interested in having a cell phone drive and want to donate those proceeds to Phones 4 Charity, contact them through their website and fill out the form. They will contact you with information on how you can help give back.

Many old cell phones can be reprogrammed and given to people who are in desperately need of them. For example, women who are in battered shelters can be given emergency cell phones to contact 911 or their supporter. Their husbands or boyfriends will not be able to track their phones, making them safe and out of harm’s way until they can get back on their feet. There are many women who live in violent atmospheres, but there are many organizations out there to help, and they start with a cell phone.

When you donate your used cell phone, you are also helping out your troops. These phones are given to the men and women serving overseas to stay in contact with their friends and family. If you don't have a relative overseas, imagine the joy of a child hearing his father's voice from overseas because you were able to give up your cell phone. It's the least an American citizen can do for the soldiers serving and protecting their country overseas.

Some businesses like Best Buy, Radio Shack and Lowes have a cell phone recycling bin in their stores. The contents of the cell phone will be disposed of properly and not harm the environment. Phones 4 Charity has many recycling bins nationwide. Their proceeds benefit many Red Cross chapters. Visit their website to find a drop box location near you to donate your used cell phone. Cell phones can also be given to senior citizens who live alone or suffer from abuse. There are some organizations that take these cell phones, fix them up, sell them and donate the proceeds to organizations in need of funds for research and other services.

Your cell phone is worth more to someone else than to you. Encourage your family and friends to donate their used cell phones to help people in developing worlds and many people around you.

Reasons to Recycle Old Cell Phones

2011-05-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

We live in a fast-paced world where the cell phone is an intrinsic part of life. There are more than five billion cell phone users in the world today, meaning that more than 70% of all people on the planet have some manner of cell phone.

In this disposable age, most of these people likely won't think twice about replacing an old cell phone with a newer, sleeker model featuring all the latest applications. With the constant influx of new models and the pace of innovation, today's average phone has a lifetime of just 18 months before its user decides to move on to something new. It's believed that there are more than 800 million obsolete cell phones in our homes and workplaces, forgotten in desks and drawers after being replaced, waiting to be disposed of. What will become of these old phones?

Every year, discarded cell phones add up to nearly 65,000 tons of toxic waste. Toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, beryllium, and cadmium can be found in some phone models and their batteries. The durable plastics encasing them may contain brominated flame retardants, which persist in the environment and build up over time. Without proper recycling these elements can create environmental safety concerns, leaching into the soil and potentially making their way into our drinking water. More than two million cell phones every single week end up in landfills. In the time it will take to read this article, another three hundred cell phones will be thrown away.

But there's another option. Donating your used, unwanted, and otherwise forgotten phones to Phones 4 Charity stops the cycle of waste, and the benefits go far beyond the environment.

Such simple notions as technology and connectivity can be taken for granted, but in some parts of the world, something so basic as an old, used cell phone can mean the difference between getting much-needed assistance or going without. In places where land lines don't reach, these phones offer more than hope. They offer the ability to connect, provide opportunities, and can even save lives.

Additionally, these phones can be recycled and put to a new use by re-purposing the components into new items. The precious metals such as gold and copper can be extracted for jewelry and manufacturing purposes, the circuitry can be reused. Even the tiniest wires can be used in the recreation of new technologies. Such re-purposing means that new components don't need to be mined from the earth or built from scratch, conserving finite resources and further cutting down on pollution and the creation of more toxic products.

All of this means that no matter what the condition, whether the phone is last month's hottest model, last decade's big seller, non-functioning, or downright broken, it can have a new life by recycling through Phones 4 Charity. Recycling supports innovation, provides needy families with the ability to connect, and protects the environment. There's no reason not to.

Cell phone donations can help local charities, too. Phone collection drives can provide an opportunity for fundraising, and you can even list these cell phone donations as a tax deduction. It's time to open those drawers, pull out those forgotten phones, and turn them into something meaningful.

Great News - Phones 4 Charity is now on Blogger!

2011-04-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

Phones 4 Charity is a national program designed to remove used cell phones from the country's environment while directly benefiting charitable organizations. Our phone recycling program is designed to help enable charities & organizations to raise funds when monetary donations from individuals and corporations are receding. Phones 4 Charity works with schools, religious institutions, youth programs, and many other non-profit organizations. Your old cell phones forgotten about in draws, garages and offices could be helping someone in need. Donate your cell phones today at Phones4Charity.Org