Liberty Tax Collecting Old Cell Phones for Soldiers

Being an American solider stationed overseas is a tough assignment. And it's even tougher when you can't communicate with family back home because you have no cell phone or calling card or you can’t afford the expensive phone costs.

Liberty Tax Service wants to help, and is asking for donations of used cell phones for its annual collection to Cell Phones for Soldiers. All offices are collection locations, including the one at 16310 U.S. 30 in Plainfield.

“It’s thrilling to work for (Liberty Tax Service),” said Brenda Hahn-Boisvert, marketing manager of Liberty Tax Service in Joliet.

Cell Phones for Soldiers has helped families at the local level. Brenda Hahn-Boisvert, marketing director for Liberty Tax in Joliet, has worked with families at the U.S. Marine Support Group, also located in Joliet.  She has spoke with members of the group  and several said they have received their calling cards and are gladly used them.

“If you’re one of 153 million cell phone users who upgrade and don’t know what to do with that old phone, help a soldier and take it to Liberty Tax Service in Minooka," said Al Shalash, owner-operator for the Minooka franchise. "There is a huge potential to make a difference, with over half of the people holding on to old phones and not recycling. This is an easy way to make a difference for those serving America overseas.”

In 2004, Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by two teenagers from Norwell, MA, after they heard a news story about an Army Reserve sergeant stationed in Iraq who had racked up a $7,624 cell phone bill calling his family in the United States. 

Brittany Bergquist, then 13, and her brother Robbie, 12, pooled their money to raise their first $21 for Cell Phones for Soldiers. The two continued to collect spare change from their friends and they held a car wash that raised almost $1,000. When they went to a local bank to start an account for the collection drive, the bank chipped in another $500. 

Once the charitable organization was established, the Bergquists teamed up with ReCellular to process their phones. According to Hahn-Boisvert, the phones are shipped to the recycler and broken down for parts. Proceeds are used to buy calling cards for the soldiers and their families, she said.

ReCellular processed more than 2 million phones for Cell Phones for Soldiers in 2008.

As a national premier partner, Liberty Tax Service has contributed more than 13 million minutes of calling time for the U.S. military since 2004.