Your donated cell phone can bring communication to people who otherwise would not be able to afford it. Cell phones can play an essential role in safety. There are many Americans who are unable to afford the cost of a cell phone. Any cell phone can dial 911 without a service contract. 

Each month Charitable Recycling refurbishes donated phones and sends them to women's shelters, trauma counseling centers, senior centers and victim assistance programs. Donated phones become a lifeline of hope and security for the recipient. 

Recently we donated phones to a camp on the east coast of the US which brings Protestant & Catholic Irish teenagers together to lay down their hate and form friendships. Charitable Recycling supplied phone to the camp counselors. 

We often send our donated cell phones to emerging countries. Because of the terrain, wireless communications is the sole means of communications. But take a retired cell phone from the United States and you'll be shocked to find that it is selling for $250 US. That's a entire year's salary for the average citizen making a cell phone cost prohibitive for most. 

Are cell phone essential in emerging countries? Yes!

Access to communications can have far-reaching effects on people's lives" says Kate Raworth, co-author of the 2001 United Nations Human Development Report". There are parts of the world where electronic technology is so precious that it can literally mean the difference between life and death. As a community cell phone for Indian families in a flood-ravaged village can be a lifesaver. 

Cell phones allow villagers to bring medical help to their people and assist in emergency situations. Villages can also be warned of threatening weather conditions. 

Villagers no longer have to take information at face value. Cell phones enable people to keep in touch with current events and check the validity of the information that they receive. Communication results in knowledge. Knowledge brings power.