I work for a large company in the travel industry. We routinely receive cell phones in our lost and found that are never claimed. There used to be a woman’s shelter that would take them to give the women a phone for emergency purposes, but they were apparently inundated with them. So, now I have two large bags full of them, and I don’t know what I should do. There must be around 100 phones sitting in our storage room. Any suggestions? We’re located in the South Florida area, so it has to be a local charity, or even someone who will recycle them. I’d much prefer to give them away then have to toss them in the local dump. Thanks!
Check with the manufacturers. They may have some sort of buy-back program. You could even donate that cash to charity if you want.
When I had my cell-phone deactivated (it was a Nokia phone, the plan was AT&T Wireless), I asked AT&T whether they had any such plan. They did not–no buy-back plan, no agreements with women’s shelters, no nothing.
My phone is sitting on my desk at home as an expensive paperweight. So, if anyone knows of a charity that needs cell-phones in the Buffalo area, let me know too.
For a while, RadioShack was taking donation phones for charity, and they’d issue you a recipt for tax purposes. Check with a store in your area and see if they’re still doing this.
You might check with shelters for battered women. The one in my hometown accepts them. They give them to the women for use as “emergency only” cells…if you keep one charged, you can always call 911 on it, even if you don’t have a cell phone plan.
Best,
karol
on a tangent, are there cell phones with gps?
If there are, then i be willing to start a non-profit collecting those phones. They be important to give to people going hiking, so they don’t get lost in the woods.
just a thought.