| Collection Strategies: Helping Others
By Conrad Melancon
Last month I wrote an article about charitable giving and how you can work with non-profits to increase cell phone collections in your area. This month I want to talk about a specific charity – the 911 Cell Phone Bank.
In May of 2004, the 911 Cell Phone Bank was created to provide an ongoing and readily available source of 911 cell phones and funds to meet unexpected and urgent needs of participating law enforcement and affiliated victims services agencies.
This program has successfully relieved participating agencies from the operational burden of managing a 911 cell phone program. No longer do they have to designate personnel to clean, charge and test used cell phones. The 911 Cell Phone bank takes care of all that for them and provides fully kitted, tested and charged cell phones which are given to those in need.
Since its inception the 911 Cell Phone Bank has generated more than $350,000 and provided almost 30,000 no-cost emergency cell phones to the elderly and victims of abuse throughout America. The organization is partnered with the National Sheriffs’’ Association and the National Association of Triads. More than 250 sheriff and police departments, victims’ services agencies are currently participating in the program. Additionally, hundreds of electronics retailers and thousands of individuals support the program at the local level.
The way the program work is very simple. Participating agencies collect cell phones, send them to the 911 Cell Phone Bank, and then receive funds which they can use to support programs in their community as well as no-cost emergency cell phones.
Supporters such as electronics (or other) retailers, businesses and individuals can support specific agencies or send their phones in to support the 911 Cell Phone Bank in general. These groups receive a tax deductible receipt for their efforts.
There is no cost to participate and the program not only provides funds and emergency communications for those in need, you are helping keep the environment clean as well.
If you would like to find out more about this important program, there is a wealth of information on the website www.911CellPhoneBank.com. You can contact them by e-mail or telephone them at 1-800-627-2022
Since more Americans replace their current cell phone with a new one during the month of December, this is the ideal time to let your old phone keep working to help someone else. Please donate your used cell phones to this worthy cause.
Conrad
Melancon is the President of RMS
Communications Group, Inc. He
joined the company in November
of 2004 as the Director of
Business Development and assumed
his current position in December
of last year.
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