Secure the Call and Albertsons Team Up to Recycle Cell Phones During Domestic Violence Awareness Month
California has just passed a bill for mandatory recycling of cellular phones. More than 44,000 cell phones are discarded daily that could be used for victims of domestic violence. Secure the Call, a non-profit that refurbishes cell phones and turns them into 911 emergency phones, and Albertsons are hosting a drive at all Northern California Albertsons during October--Domestic Violence Awareness month. Battered women shelters, senior citizens, police and sheriffs offices, as well as school crossing guards and school buss drives are all candidates for the 911 emergency phones.
Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) October 2, 2004 - Secure the Call, a non-profit
organization that recycles and donates free 911 emergency phones to the
community, has teamed up with Albertson’s, Inc. (NYSE: ABS) Northern California
during Domestic Violence Awareness month in October to collect used cell phones
to refurbish and distribute them to those who need a cell phone for the purpose
of calling 911 in the event of an emergency. Targeted areas for distribution
include – Battered Women’s Shelters, Senior Citizen Centers, Police and
Sheriff’s Offices, School Crossing Guards, School Bus Drivers and many other
organizations.
According to Californians Against Waste, there are more
45,000 cell phones thrown away every day in the state. Recently Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger passed the phone recycling bill making recycling mandatory in the
State of California. Secure the Call and Albertsons are providing a community
source for individuals to donate their unused phones.
“Albertsons is
thrilled to partner with Secure the Call and place cell phone collection bins in
all of our Northern California stores,” said Donna Robbins, Albertsons Northern
California Division President. “We have made it easy for our customers to drop
in a phone and help provide needed cell phones as well as be conscientious
recyclers.”
“Our goal is to distribute thousands of emergency-only cell
phones to Domestic Violence Shelters and individuals in need throughout Northern
California, during our phone drive in October,” stated Volante Williams, Secure
the Call President. “Teaming with Albertsons enables Secure the Call to reach
out to the community faster. We anticipate a successful drive while creating
awareness of domestic violence. We look forward to giving the community the
opportunity to donate their old cell phones. In addition to providing a needed
service to those without a cell phone, Secure the Call’s program keeps phones
out of the local landfills.”
Secure the Call collects mobile phones and
reprograms them to be used as emergency only phones. Secure the Call inspects
and cleans the phones, charges the batteries and prepares the phone for
distribution. Any phone that can be turned on can be used to call 911 even
without a carrier service plan. Phones with or without accessories can be
deposited in special boxes located at your neighborhood Albertsons location.
For further information on this program, please call (877) 822-9200 or
visit www.securethecall-ca.org. Please contact Quyen Ha at
Albertsons for photo opportunities at (510) 678-5445.
About Secure the
Call
Secure the Call is a nonprofit all volunteer organization dedicated to
providing free emergency 911 cell phones to people that need them. Whether it’s
a senior citizen needing medial treatment or a domestic violence victim needing
the police, a cell phone can help save a life. Secure the Call will benefit
people who would otherwise not be able to obtain a 911 emergency cell phone. The
program has the potential to help tens of thousands of people in the community.
About Albertson’s, Inc.
Albertsons is one of the world’s largest food
and drug retailers with annual revenues of over $35 billion. Based in Boise,
Idaho, the Company employs more than 230,000 employees and operates
approximately 2,500 retail stores in 37 states across the United States, under
banners including Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Albertsons-Osco,
Albertsons-Sav-on, Sav-on Drugs, Osco Drug, Super Saver, Shaw’s and Star Market.
For more information about Albertsons, please visit our website at www.albertsons.com
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/10/prweb163764.htm