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Robbie Bergquist and Michelle Masek on how to give back through ‘Cell Phones for Soldiers’
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San Francisco and this is about cell phone for soldiers -- just talking about some plane tickets were sold businesses cell phones for soldiers -- one introduced you Robbie.
-- qwest founder of cell phones for soldiers thank you so much for being with us here today.
-- -- -- All right so we're talk about getting cell phones into the hands of our military.
And there are so many people and and I actually am one of them.
Where I got a new phone I have an old phone in my you know cabinet in the kitchen they're not quite sure what to do with -- -- gonna sell it.
Probably not it's just been sitting there what do I do -- that there's good ways to donate these phones tell us about it.
Initially we want.
For minutes on -- phone but we're collecting it will be good we could use help on then that we recycle them.
And with the proceeds repurchase prepaid phone cards.
We at 151000 drop off sites across the country where people can go to.
Drop their old phone so we have it -- You know police stations fire station very recognizable places in your town where you can go.
I mean drop off real well on what we do is we take that -- believe is that the optics and -- recycle it down.
Or what -- -- support they're in good condition.
-- -- put them back on the market and we get we look at the recycler that gives us a percentage of those clones that we've got.
Eventually goes forward -- phone cards the troops.
OK and I understand that you have a very.
A great story to share with us on how you and your sister started this I understand it's a family run.
Nonprofit organization.
Operated almost exclusively by Bob -- Britney Robby and Courtney.
-- -- and sounds like a family affair how did this get started and it sounds like somebody and family had a good idea what with it.
It certainly is a very grassroots.
And -- run organization are our kitchen desire is our office.
And you know everything that we -- comes out of our house.
It -- -- mostly run back by people.
I wouldn't put it started back in 2004 when I was twelve years old.
Out of my sister -- thirteen years old.
We heard a story about a soldier with an 8000 -- cellphone -- trying to call home.
I'm back in 2004 and so what we want to do is very locally we want to pay out his cell phone -- so.
First garnish with a lot of our piggy banks.
Than anyone then we had car Washington bake -- that is very local organization.
Until he found out that this is a national problem and that there are thousands and thousands of soldiers with.
Astounding cellphone bills you -- 15161000.
Dollars herself on those trying to call home.
So we decided that we would start a program to make sure that voters didn't have particular phone calls on again.
I don't know we have been 100% successful with that initiative probably definitely an advantage to -- we've been able to recycle or ten million telephone.
And send over a 168 million minutes.
-- the prepaid calling cards for our troops to call home.
That is astounding I mean when you look at these numbers and I have those numbers in front of me.
I had to ask you about ten point five million cell phones recycled.
For this program cell phones for soldiers.
In the male approximately 121000 calling cards each week.
And you've provided more than 168.
Million minutes of free talk time -- repeat those facts.
I just because they are so astounding and that's something you should definitely unions and we should definitely be proud up.
On this is been going since 2004 you -- Prices 2004 so looking forward.
What -- how can we help.
I mean and for our viewers are online right now watching this and hearing about this and and can really relate to this type of need what can people dale.
What what what we're kind of running until pitfall or running now is is you know.
Smartphones in the work your underdog you pay for them they don't want to give them up but.
You know what we're trying to do is create a buyback program where we can somehow possibly you know excites -- to try and -- your own -- while we're also give -- money back.
-- real -- although we're running to right now but.
You know it -- users at home.
If you could just go to -- web -- cell phones for soldiers dot com.
I'm on there is a -- directions of how you can go and go to a local drop off site into the zip code located where you can find.
-- if there's a local location if there's not he -- also present -- prepaid mailing label.
-- -- put it on a box in the shipping.
It's free -- recycle herself in I urged.
-- I'll always asking for money monetary donations are also welcome.
Where we are out and rolled up on something that could be usually are in your basement -- -- -- wind more and just to realize that something that you want anymore.
Provide someone who's protecting -- every single day in a phone call today at their children or to their wife for two there if parents must know that they're okay.
Absolutely and -- I want you to stay right there because we're joined by another guest here Michelle mouse I may have saved your last name on how do you see your last name.
It at NASDAQ that NASDAQ OK with the mote in your mobile safety advocate with a group look out so I hopefully you've been able to hear Ronnie.
Tell us about your perspective about what rob is doing in this great program cell phones for soldiers.
-- -- it's really interesting when you think about the holiday season and all the new -- on Saturday to be hitting the shelves.
-- really -- the question for us what's happening to all these old phones.
So we ran a nationwide survey to kind of dig into the problem and we found out was.
As Roddick has said where and nation of digital borders.
We found that 60% of people have at least one old cell phone at home -- sitting in a -- unused and even one in tank.
Have four or more phones that's a lot of phones.
And we wanted to find out a little bit why people are holding onto their -- -- -- they're not reselling recycling are donating that.
On and main reason was people said they were concerned about their private information still living on the device so the photos text messages that apps.
They were worried about that contact that they hating -- not -- and so.
In return their devices bird wing and -- -- used.
And is that there must be a safe way to do -- night I admit I am guilty of that I was just on rob -- have got an old Blackberry.
In my kitchen cabinet that I was actually going to donate hasn't Whaley and I -- -- yeah I know that there's pictures on there -- I know that there is text messages that -- I want to make sure that our mind and stay with me how -- a common people make sure to do that.
He has -- so this largely depends on device type but on their few key things -- remember before you donate a phone.
One is if you want to save the day yet.
Do so if you have an old injury device you can use -- that a free app like look up to back up your personal information.
If not a quick Google search will -- for -- device type -- let you know exactly how to stay back data -- get it off the device.
-- -- -- Before you say to -- make sure you wipe your device clean -- you don't want any of that information.
Getting passed on to a potential new owner and it's just really good to due diligence and make sure.
That your privacy is protected.
And so -- -- to do this again if you have an injury -- running gear that you can use -- -- bring your son back to on this date it was and when it was taken out of the box.
On and if you don't have any Andretti do a Google search on how to factory reset your device type.
A factory that is gonna take off all the apps all that personal information and -- your phone clean.
Out and then a third test is just to ditch the sim card that's a little -- in the back -- your phone and this way if your phone does get passed on to a potential new owner.
I'm here ensured that none of your -- getting passed along with it.
Excellence aren't very good advice and for people who want to.
You know reset in and if -- if you -- Write that down fast enough people can go to your website www.
Look out dot com.
And again when we're showing here on our website we encourage everyone to go to that website and also.
-- -- website www.
Cell phones for soldiers dot com.
Robbie Michelle great segment thank you so much both of you for being here and sharing this with us we look forward to hearing updates.
From doesn't see how this program rolls on in the next year.
That you are thinking a nice thank you very much.
