Many people have been asking lately about the process for donating phones for MobileImpact.Org. I thought now would be a good time to take the age-old approach and answer the basics:
Who?
You and ... your friends, your co-workers, classmates, family, neighbors, teammates, sorority sisters, fraternity brothers -- anyone with a used cell phone.
How?
There are 4 very simple steps:
- Print the PREPAID mailing label (It's the photo below and on this web-page -- we can email it to you if you prefer)
- Place used cell phones (as many as you want) into a box suitable for mailing
- Paste, Tape or otherwise Affix the PREPAID mailing label on the box
- Mail the Box
What?
We have partnered with The Wireless Source,the second largest cell-phone refurbishing company in the US. The wireless source receives your phone(s) in the mail, clears the data from them, and, if they are still useful, prepares to resell them. If your phone has no resale value, as one of only a few ISO environmentally certified agents, it recycles the phone and its precious metals to prevent toxic waste. The company has agreed to a partnership that contributes a majority of the phone's value to MobileImpact.Org.
Then, with the resources we receive from your used phone, we invest in solutions for NGO and nonprofit partners internationally and in the US. Today, means low cost communications solutions -- phones, airtime, data centers, etc -- to advance their development projects. Our aspiration is to eventually design innovative ways to connect the 3 billion people in the world who today have no sustained communications access. We hope to grow to that stage.
Some details worth noting:
- Phones in any condition are acceptable
- Chargers and sim cards are not required
- This is environmentally friendly
- Your data and privacy is protected
When?
Now, Tomorrow, Earth Day, or Whenever you have a used cell phone.
Where?
Right from your home, office, school -- and you know where the phones are -- in glove boxes, desk drawers, etc.
Why?
MobileImpact.Org is the idea that we can powerfully leverage used cell phones to advance social justice and community development on a global scale.
The truth is, almost all of us have these used assets sitting in our homes and we don't know what to do with them, how they could be useful again, and what difference it makes. And though it takes a couple steps (PLEASE PRINT THE LABEL AND MAIL THE PHONE ... :)), the truth is its an incredible way for you to contribute to a nonprofit that is advancing communications access and reducing cost barriers on behalf of community projects around the world.
It's the right thing to do.
Again -- email us if you have any questions.
And, thanks for your support.
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