What We Do With Used Cell Phones and Empy Ink Jet Cartridges

Whenever our executive director speaks to a group she is often asked if Hope for Healing.org can use old cell phones for domestic violence victims. The answer is yes. Plus, we also collect empty ink jet cartridges, old laptops, digital cameras and used MP3 players.
Two phones are kept in inventory to be given to victims. These can provide emergency 911 access when a victim of domestic violence has no other phone. 
Overstock cell phones, old digital cameras, MP3 players, old laptops (P3 or higher), and empty ink jet cartridges are sold to a recycler. The funds generated are used to benefit our general budget. In the past we have used the money to pay bills like phone or rent and also to purchase food boxes or buy gas so a sexual assault victim could testify against her attacker.
We chose Ecophones as the company to use to recycle cell phones for victims of domestic violence. They do not provide boxes but Ecophones does pay for the shipping. We take a usable but previously used box to collect these items in. When there are at least 30 items in the box we enclose a note telling Ecophones to credit Hope for Healing.Org. Then we seal the box and go to their website to print out a prepaid shipping label and call for pickup. It's that simple.
Churches, offices, Sunday school classes can all participate to help us recycle used cell phones for domestic violence victims. If you choose to collect these items for us please let us know. We can add you to our growing list. 
More information about recycling cell phones and the listed used electronic items can be found online. 
EcophonesAssociated ContentThe Hope Blog - We Need Your RecyclablesHope for Healing.Org