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Comcast Cable's Eastern Division Donates 7,500 Phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 June 2009, 10:00 CDT

Company Donation to Provide 450,000 Minutes of Calling Time for Troops Serving Overseas

WASHINGTON, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast Cable's Eastern Division today announced the donation of 7,500 cell phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers (CPFS), an organization that works to keep troops serving overseas connected with family and loved ones back home. Comcast's year-long collection effort has netted enough cell phones to provide 450,000 minutes of calling time in pre-paid calling cards toward the effort. The donations were delivered to CPFS founders, Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, during a special event hosted on the grounds of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. The donated phones will be sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone -- enough to provide an hour of talk time in pre-paid calling cards to soldiers abroad.

"From community initiatives and employment opportunities to military-specific programming and local video on demand content, Comcast's ongoing support of America's armed forces continues to grow," said Fred Graffam, senior vice president of Comcast Cable's Beltway Region. "Comcast works hard to build and strengthen relationships with community partners, like Cell Phones for Soldiers, to make a difference, improve neighborhoods and create a lasting impact."

Cell Phones for Soldiers safely recycles retired cell phones, and uses the proceeds to provide pre-paid calling cards for the brave men and women serving in the Armed Forces abroad. The average recycled cell phone is worth enough to provide a 60-minute calling card for international use.

"Donating your old cell phone is a small, easy sacrifice to make to support our troops," says Brittany Bergquist, Cell Phones for Soldiers co-founder. "But for the troops overseas, it provides a priceless connection to their loved ones at home."

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 500,000 pre-paid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas. Through increased fundraising efforts, the Bergquist family hopes to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to fund new programs, such as providing video phones and pre-paid service to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis. They are also researching programs to provide technology for returning Veterans to aid their transition back into the work force.

"Americans will discard millions of cell phones this year," said Mike Newman, vice president of ReCellular. "By donating their unwanted phones, people can provide a tremendous benefit for a worthy cause like Cell Phones for Soldiers."

The donated phones are sent to ReCellular, which reimburses Cell Phones for Soldiers for recycled phones. Approximately half of the phones ReCellular processes are reconditioned and resold to wholesale companies in more than 40 countries around the world. Phones and components that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and 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

To continue its efforts in securing phone donations, Comcast will have collection sites available tomorrow at the 48th annual Congressional Baseball Game sponsored by Roll Call that is taking place at National Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Partnering with Cell Phones for Soldiers is just one of the many ways Comcast shows its support for America's troops. From signature "Get Local" programs like Troop Greetings On Demand, a service that allows military personnel stationed overseas to send special holiday greetings to their loved ones back home, to military-focused investments, volunteerism and programming, Comcast helps connect service members and their families to what matters most in their lives. Most recently, Comcast's Eastern Division made military service graduations from the Air Force, Naval Academy and West Point available to its Digital Cable subscribers through its Local Video On Demand service, allowing customers to watch at their own convenience from home, with the ability to pause, fast-forward and rewind.

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 6.8 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's Eastern Division serves six million residential and business customers across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC. The Eastern Division is based in Oaks, Pennsylvania and employs more than 20,000 people.

About Cell Phones for Soldiers

Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by Brittany & Robbie Bergquist of Norwell MA. After reading a story about a soldier who ran up a huge phone bill calling home from Iraq, these two teenagers decided to help out. They started by opening an account with $21.00 of their own money. They are collecting cash donations and old cell phones. The cell phones are recycled for cash and the proceeds are used to buy pre-paid calling cards for our soldiers serving in the Middle East. Cell Phones For Soldiers is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Their efforts have motivated people and businesses around the country to donate to this worthy cause. Their goal is to provide every US soldier with a way to call home for free. For more information, please visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com

About ReCellular Inc.

With offices in the United States, Hong Kong, and Brazil, ReCellular Inc. is the world's foremost collector, reseller and recycler of used wireless phones and accessories. We provide solutions for the collection, reuse and recycling of used personal electronics that generate financial return for our partners, quality products for our customers, funding for charity organizations, and protection of the environment. Corporate and wholesale information is available at www.ReCellular.com. Consumer information, including the Cell Phone Data Eraser(TM) tool and charity fundraising information, is available at www.wirelessrecycling.com.

SOURCE Comcast Cable

Source: PR Newswire

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