March 9, 2011 — The National Auto Body Council (NABC) is encouraging its members to take part in a drive to turn old cell phones into pre-paid phone cards for soldiers overseas.
Called Cell Phones for Soldiers, the program has raised nearly $2 million in donations and distributed more than 500,000 cards. Donated phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers enough to buy an hour of talk time for each device.
The upcoming Collision Industry Conference in Newark, N.J., will serve as a drop-off point for old cell phones. The NABC is also urging shops to set up donation bins in their shops and communities.
“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.”
For more information about the program, go to cellphonesforsoldiers.com.
The NABC is a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the image of the collision repair industry. For more about the organization, visit autobodycouncil.org.
