Most people replace their cell phones when the service contract expires, if not sooner. With the cell phone industry adding new features regularly, customers often look for a more advanced phone with photo, video and internet capabilities to replace their current outdated one. Whether you trade in your phone often or rarely, your used cell phone can go to help a good cause.
Many of us are unaware of the options when getting rid of a cell phone. We simply throw it in the garbage and forget it. Unfortunately, this creates an abundance of electronic garbage that is filling our landfills. Fortunately, there is another way. Today many organizations are happy to take your used cell phone and use it to aid a wide variety of causes, ranging from domestic violence abuse victims to breast cancer research.
Houston Area Women’s Center
At the Houston Area Women’s Center your used cell phone can help the victims of domestic violence. The non-profit organization is taking donations of working and non-working cell phones, as well as cell phone components. The collected phones will be recycled, and the proceeds will be used to buy new phones that are programmed to call 911 and the HAWC Hotline and then given to domestic abuse victims.
The Houston Area Women’s Center works in conjunction with the Verizon HopeLine to bring aid to domestic abuse victims. (You may also drop your phone off at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store, and the proceeds will benefit domestic violence abuse victims across the country.) Donations for HAWC may be dropped off at the Louise Strauss Ablon Counseling Building, located at 1010 Waugh Drive at West Dallas. This location is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit www.hawc.org for further details.
Recycle for Breast Cancer
Your used cell phone can actually help aid cancer research! Recycle for Breast Cancer enables your used cell phone to raise proceeds for breast cancer research. This organization collects used cell phones, pagers, Palm Pilots, inkjet/toner cartridges, laptops, cameras and the corresponding supplies – and a donation is made to the breast cancer foundation for every item recycled. Recycle for Breast Cancer is dedicated to keeping electronic waste out of landfills and using these used items to benefit cancer research today. With one in eight women diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, research is vital. Recycle for Breast Cancer will send you a prepaid shipping label for your donations, so donating is free and easy. For further information, visit www.recycleforbreastcancer.com or call (800) 315-9580.
Gabriel’s Gifts
Gabriel’s Gifts is a great way to use your old cell phone to aid missing children. Located in Bellaire, Gabriel’s Gifts is a non-profit organization for missing children. The charity receives up to $10 from the Wireless Foundation for each cell phone donated, and the proceeds aid child abduction awareness, prevention and educational programs. Gabriel’s Gifts helps to administer the Houston Regional Amber Plan and helps coordinate the Southeast Texas Search &Rescue Alliance. They provide free child identification kits in both English and Spanish, as well as giving referrals for Family and Volunteer Support Services. Gabriel’s Gifts also provides many publications to educate parents on how to keep their children safe. There are drop locations in and around Houston, making donating your cell phone easy. All donations are tax deductible. Visit www.gabrielsgifts.org for details, or call (713) 521-2694.
Bat Conservation International
Go batty! By donating your cell phone to the Houston Zoo, your old phone can aid Bat Conservation International. For every phone donated, the Houston Zoo receives funds from The Wireless Foundation. All of these collected funds are then donated to Bat Conservation International, an Austin-based organization that aids one of the world’s most misunderstood and endangered wildlife: bats. This organization is committed to educating the public about bats and their value, protecting bat habitats, advancing scientific research and finding solutions that benefit both bats and people. For further information, visit the Houston Zoo at www.houstonzoo.org or Bat Conservation International at www.batcon.org. H
