If your company has a passion for helping your community give Bob a call. We don’t look for money from our partners. Since our operations are funded completely by cell phone recycling, your cell phone donations are what matter. Bob will help you determine what level of Partnership you qualify for. Give him a quick call or email (bmikler@911cellphonebank.org) to see how we can both benefit from a Partnership.

Officer Weber has been collecting old/unused cell phones to benefit the Ross County Triad members as well as for their community (anybody in need of an emergency phone). It gave me great pleasure to contact Officer Weber and tell him what an outstanding job he had done in February. The Ross County Sheriff’s Office collected enough phones that month to put them in the “top 10”. He said, “we had help from a large donation that was given to us by one of our local Sprint stores. I want to personally thank “Matt” for all his help, and, of course, we especially want to thank the entire community for their generosity and countless donations.”

PTCI (Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc.) along with its wholly owned subsidiary company, Panhandle Telecommunication Systems, Inc. provides an array of communication services to customers in the Oklahoma Panhandle area.  Services include state of the art Residential and Business Telephone services with many calling features, plus long distance service; High Speed Internet service with help desk; Cellular telephone service with nationwide plans, free mobile to mobile and free nights and weekends;  Digital Cable TV service with 140+ channels, local networks, high definition including local networks,  DVR, and pause live features.  PTCI was established in 1954 and its subsidiary in 1983.  Both are headquartered in Guymon, Oklahoma.

Do you want more information on how you and your group or organization can get involved? Give us a call at 866-290-7864 or email Glenn Hill at ghill@911cellphonebank.org or Darlene Wilkerson at dwilkerson@911cellphonebank.org.

Please bring your old cell phones and receive a raffle ticket for every phone you turn in. Please go to www.noahsanimalhouse.org  and click on “donations” to see Noah’s Animal House wish list.  For each item you bring, you will receive a raffle ticket for that as well. There will be a silent auction, raffle items and of course top prizes for the top scoring bowlers and much, much more! Donation of all kinds are encouraged and accepted. 

Special rates includes: Shoes, 3 games (per player) and a gift. Call Elynne Greene at (702) 828-3266 for more information.

Recently Eric was in contact with the Lakewood Police Department and told them what he has been doing for the community. He found that this is exactly what they were in need of; a program that provided seniors and victims with emergency phones. Within minutes of ending my conversation with Eric, Karen Herritt, the Neighborhood Patrol Officer (whom expressed a great concern for her community) called me and discussed  the needs and her desires for Lakewood.

Karen Herritt would like to personally thank Eric and the entire staff at Goodwill Industries of Tacoma for all they have done thus far.

We don’t want to forget about our youngsters returning to school this year. If you would like to lend a helping hand please contact one Debra Johnson, the Public Information Officer for Flagler County Sheriff’s office at 386-586-4814. The Task Force is currently collecting school supplies for at-risk families in Flagler County, Florida.

Donations of all sorts will be accepted which include some of the following: crayons, backpacks, rulers, scissors, tape, notebooks and erasers.

You can take your donation to any of the locations listed below:

Flagler County Sheriff’s Operations Center at 1001 Justice Lane in Bunnell; the Sheriff’s Office’s Robert E. McCarthy Substation at 17 D Old Kings Road in Palm Coast;  the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division at 4721 Moody Boulevard, Suite 503; the Bunnell Police Department at 200 South Pine Street, and the Flagler Beach Police Department at 204 South Flagler Avenue.

For additional information contact Kathy Vazquez at (386) 586-4846 or Teresa Shaw at (386) 586-4847.

It’s happened to all of us; we talk to someone about our emergency cell phone program, they get very excited and vow to donate their cell phone at the first opportunity…but the excitement wanes after they leave your presence. In the crazy, busy world we live in, how can you keep people engaged and thinking about your collection efforts when you’re not around? Here are 5 ways that have worked for others.

Get people personally involved

Most people support causes because they have a personal tie. For instance, cancer survivors are more likely to support the organization that helped them; parents will support their sons Boy Scout Troop.

The key is identifying with the person or group you are talking to. When speaking to a group determine who makes up the audience and make a personal appeal to them. For instance, if your program provides cell phones for Seniors  relate an experience where a cell phone saved a Senior, appeal to you audience with something like “that cell phone was donated by someone like you”. Follow up with something like “if this was your mother, wouldn’t you be glad someone remembered to donate their cell phone? The next time you see your mom remember donating your cell phone can make a big difference in the life of someone else’s mom”. Do you see how they can identify with your program now? You are not just asking something you’ve asked a hundred times; you are helping your audience see how they can help.

Make it easy to donate.

“Donors should not have to go out of their way to donate a cell phone” says Michelle James a brand marketing expert with The Branding Network. “Let people know how easy it is to donate the first time you meet.”

A great way to make it easy is to build a network of drop off locations. These can be at your offices, retail stores, government buildings…anywhere the public is likely to go. A well marked permanent container can be a great way to advertise your collection program and stay in front of potential donors.

Leave people a reminder.

Keep handouts, key chains, magnets, business cards, pens…anything that will remind them of you and how to donate. One recent suggestion was to print removable labels that say “Don’t forget to donate me to XYZ Charity” and ask people put them in the battery compartment of their cell phones as a reminder.

Do you have any ideas that can help others with their collection programs? Submit them to us and we’ll share your thoughts in an upcoming post.