Recycling used cell phones helps domestic violence victims

Domestic violence programs go green too. When you recycle your used cell phone at a domestic violence agency you are providing a lifeline to someone who needs it.

Any extra phones or older phones that a program can't use are often recycled. The recycled phones provide needed funds that help agencies help clients. Many programs also accept small used electronics such as older or nonworking digital cameras, nonworking laptops, empty ink jet cartridges and more.

Our program is no exception. There is a long list of items that we collect. Would you like to help? Shipping the items is free. Email us at recycle@hopeforhealing.org for a full list of items to collect.

For more hot recycling tips read NaturallyGreenNews.com. 

~~ Many thanks to NaturallyGreenNews.com for participating in our 2010 Blogathon!~~

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

Recycled Items by Juvenile Offenders Help Recycle Lives

Make this isearchigive link your search engine. Help victims for free!

We've had a number of requests for information about the recycled products made by the kids we work with. Many of these kids are victims of domestic violence and many of them come to us as juvenile offenders who are serving court-ordered community service.

When the kids come we work with them on the projects you see here. All the items were donated to our ministry center and recycled into the beautiful pieces you see here. When we do this, we get to talk to the kids about the ugliness in their lives and how they can get on a better track. The kids learn new skills. In fact, so many kids enjoy recycling these items that many wind up coming back as volunteers!

All items are available for sale at our ministry center. Proceeds from the recycled items help us pay rent and other expenses and go back into the program.

Check Out This Set of Legs

Use this isearchigive search engine link to help victims.

The table in picture 1 was donated to us. It was weak. It was wobbly. It was not the pretty.

A little TLC from kids working under a stimulus grant changed all that. They tightened screws. They brushed the legs with wire brushes and then sanded them. Then, the kids sealed the legs with Rustoleum.




The top of the table needed some TLC. Most of the top was a light color.
There were some areas that appeared to be multi-colored. In a few spots the surface was showing its age.

The kids went to work sanding, wiping and sanding some more. Then they applied a few fresh coats of Rustoleum enamel paint. When they finally finished they had a masterpiece on their hands.





Wouldn't it look great in your home or business?

Blog Talk Radio Voices of Hope Lunch Buffet Recycle Here

Blog Talk Radio Voices of Hope Lunch Buffet Recycle Here was the topic of today's noontime show. If you aren't familiar with our recycling programs visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing to download the podcast. (For 1 week, this segment will be playing automatically when you download this blog.)

On the Voices of Hope Lunch Buffet segment you will learn how we recycle used ink jet cartridges, ipods, MP3 players, digital cameras, old laptops, cardboard, newspaper, used clothing, used tennis shoes, broken appliances, scrap metal items and wooden furniture.

There's very little that we cannot recycle. You don't have to live in the area to help us recycle many items! Ink jet cartridges, used cell phones and the like can be collected in your office or church and sent straight to the recycler. Just be sure to put a large note in the box asking them to credit Hope for Healing.Org.

The proceeds keep our lights on, the rent paid and internet services online. Proceeds beyond basic expenses go to provide food boxes for needy families or lunch for juvenile offenders.

For photos of some of our recycled items view these blog posts:

Stool, Kitchen Table and Wall Shelf

Notecards made from donated envelopes and card stock, a dingy faded stool gets new life.
We need cardboard, newspaper and other items.

We Need Used Clothing. Recylce Yours Here.

We need used clothing. Can you help?

At the Hope for Healing.Org mission center there is 3 separate things that we do with used clothing.

#1 - We give used clothing for free upon referral to those who need it. Beneficiaries have been victims of domestic violence, homeless and people who are in a chronic poverty situation.

#2 - Some used clothing is sold in our eBay store periodically or at one of our yard sale fundraisers. The url is http://stores.ebay.com/hopeforhealingorg Proceeds help us pay expenses (like rent which we always need help with).

#3 - Used clothing that is not usable or overstock is sold at a low bulk rate. This helps with expenses. The used clothing is then distributed on a secondary market. Much of it goes to 3rd world countries to provide affordable clothing. Some of these places include Belize, Haiti and African nations.

Clothing may be brought to the mission center at any time. If we are open, we will gladly take it and help you unload it. On sunny days, it may be left on the front porch.

The very best day to drop off used clothing is on Saturdays. This is when we usually have help to unload your vehicle. We do not have paid staff at the Hope for Healing.Org mission center. Everyone here helps because they want to make a difference. Saturdays seem to be the days that most people have free.

In addition to used clothing, we also accept used shoes (no high heels or boots), purses, belts, baseball caps and the like. These are very important for developing countries. Pumps and shoes with heels are not accepted. There is very little use for these items in the rain forest or on dirt roads.

If you are in the area, please come by and see us. We will happily show you around and answer questions about our program. Speakers are available for your next group event. Just contact us. We'll be glad to set it up.

Please bring used clothing to our mission center at 3130 W. Old Andrew Johnson Hwy., Strawberry Plains, TN 37871. For more information email admin@hopeforhealing.org

We thank you and our clients thank you for your used clothing help!

New Hours for Strawberry Plains Nonprofit Charity

Hope for Healing.org announces new ministry center hours.

Our winter hours for client services are as follows:

Friday 11-3
Saturday 11-3

If you need free clothes or household items, canned food or a referral, outside of these times please call for an appointment. Our number is 933.8769. Otherwise, please feel free to drop in during the posted times. If you are in need of household items and can bring a box with you it is appreciated.

Please note that the ministry center will be closed from Dec. 23 - Jan. 12. During these dates all client services will be on an appointment only basis.

Our cardboard and newspaper bins are open to the public at all times. Aluminum cans, used cell phones and empty ink jet cartridges can be dropped off during the office hours listed above. Please contact us if would like an ink jet or cell phone collection box for your home or office. These have prepaid shipping labels and can be dropped at any FedEx location after you collect 30 items. Please contact us for more information.

We Need Your Recyclables!

The downturn in the economy is hurting everyone. Gas is up. Donations are down. Everyone is in a bind. Until the situation improves we are exploring creative ways to generate revenue. Please help us by donating the following items for recycling. Donating these items here will help the needy and allow us to continue serving victims of sexual and domestic violence. Don't toss it! Recycle these items here!

• Newspapers
• Cardboard
• Aluminum Cans
• Scrap metal, old cookpots etc.
• Broken (or working) appliances (small or large)
  
• Used clothing
• Used shoes and sneakers
  
• Empty Ink Jet Cartridges
• Old cell phones

Cell phones and ink jet cartridges can be collected anywhere in the US and sent to the recycler using a prepaid DHL shipping label.

Plans are in the works to begin collecting magazines and steel vegetable cans. Keep checking here for the latest updates!

To put a collection box in your place of business email us today.

We Need Cardboard, Newspaper and other Recyclables!

The ministry center closed in 2009. We are leaving this post in place to give other nonprofit organizations and thrift stores ideas on how recycling can help create money for your program.

Help us fill our dumpster! The dumpster that you see was provided by a local recycling company. Our community really came through for us by filling it with cardboard. Another dumpster was provided for newspaper.

Staff would call for a pick-up when the dumpsters were full. It didn't raise a huge amount of money but it did bring in some needed funding. Our costs to haul trash off were reversed so the recycle bins helped us save money that way too.

Our latest recyclable to collect is cardboard! Bring us your boxes, large or small. Put them in the large collection bin in the front of our shop. Break them down - or not - as you wish.

On Thursday, the collection bin for newspapers is scheduled to arrive. No need to tie or tape the bundles. Put them in a cardboard box and dump them in. Then, put your cardboard box in the other bin for recycling too. It's that simple!

Also, please bring us your old cell phones, empty ink jet, fax and toner cartridges.

Plus, we accept the following nonworking items:

• Ipods
• Laptops
• Old digital cameras
• Scrap metal, baking pans, worn out pots and pans
• Nonworking appliances
• Aluminum cans
• Clothing

Proceeds help us help others.

We're sorry our ministry center closed in August 2009. These recyclables are no longer needed. Please recycle them locally. We appreciate your support. 


Thanks for recycling at Hope for Healing.Org. See you soon!

Recycling at Hope for Healing.Org!

Happy Earth Day!

Did you know that you can support Hope for Healing.Org and help the environment too? Donated used ink jet, fax and toner cartridges and old cell phones are sold to a recycler. The proceeds help us meet program expenses. Plus, it means less waste in our lanfills.

Used household items, aluminum cans, shoes and clothing helps too.

We have four streams of use for used clothing, purses, belts - even stinky tennis shoes!

Clothing, shoes and accessories are given to needy people in the area. When we get a referral from a school, pastor or other agency we respond out of stock on hand. Kids get shoes. People get clothing for work and other needs are met.

The next choice is the thrift shop. Clothing and household items are sold to raise money for our program. This keeps our lights turned on and the phone working. (Depending on quality or uniqueness some of this may go on our eBay site!) Thanks to people like you, we have a great selection!

Sometimes we get something we don't need. When this happens the clothing is sold at a bulk rate to an area recycler. Again, the money keeps our programs going. It also provides affordable clothing to third world countries. Haiti and Belize are two countries who receive used bulk clothing.

Have you seen our Hope Products? They are all recycled products.

We strive to recreate items that are not sellable to make them new again. One example is found is the cute denim bag I carry. This was once a pair of jeans. The knees were out but they were otherwise useable. With the help of one of the kids from Restorative Justice we recreated those old jeans into a functional, trendy purse. Her self-esteem soared when she learned a new skill!

What could be cooler than that?

How about re-melting odds and ends of candles to make new ones? Or how about refinishing furniture?

Still not convinced? Then, you should have been here when we made mirrors.

Someone gave us a stack of old picture frames. The glass was broken but the frames were good. The next item to come in that day was a broken mirror. We put them together with astounding results! With the help of elbow grease, wood sealer and a little know-how we recreated the frames into great mirrors.

Then there's all those aluminum cans that we collect. Scrap metals and non-working appliances go to a recycler and generate income too.

Some people get to celebrate Earth Day one day a year. We get to celebrate it for 365 days.

You can get involved too. We'll be glad to give you a collection box for cell phones, ink jets or aluminum cans. To collect cell phones you don't have to be local. We can provide boxes with shipping labels attached. Place the box in the common area of your church. Wait until it fills with at least 30 items. Then call the shipping company for a free pick-up. When they arrive just hand them box. Then, email us so we can send you another box. It's quick and easy.

If you're having a yard sale we'd love to come get your leftovers. (Of course, if you want to bring them to us that's fine too.)

Hope for Healing.Org is the only 501c3 nonprofit serving all of Strawberry Plains, TN. Our services include free clothing and household items for the less fortunate, Angel Food distribution, Restorative Justice, referrals and support for victims of domestic violence. We also maintain a top-ranked webpage and meet other needs on a case-by-case basis.

There are lots of easy ways to recycle with Hope for Healing.org. Getting started is easy. Call us at 865.933.8679 today! Or, email hopeinfo@hopeforhealing.org for your collection box.

What do you do with all the stuff?

In keeping with our mission statement the first choice of donated items is to serve victims of domestic or sexual violence. If someone is going from shelter to a new home, victims get first dibs. But you have to realize that we are in a pocket area of poverty. The promise held by all that is offered in Knoxville is not easily realized by many people around where we are.

If someone in our zip code is in need (Knox, Jefferson or Sevier) they can get needed items from the stock we have on hand. We do reserve the right to impose a $20 per person maximum value on household items or clothing. However, all needs are met on a case-by-case basis.

The next option is to actually sell the items in our thrift shop (or possibly eBay). We don't charge much. In fact, shoppers here love that our prices are lower than in Knoxville or Jefferson City. Our neighbors love it because they don't have to drive to Knoxville or Jefferson City. Plus, our landlord stays happy since sales enable us to pay the rent. It's an all around good situation.

Finally, some items given to us will be sold to a bulk recycler at a price per pound. This helps us pay our rent (always a good thing). And, it provides affordable clothing in third world countries. Places like Haiti, Africa, Belize, all have received bulk shipments of used clothing from our little corner of the world.

We are exploring the possibility of recycling other things too. Cardboard, newspapers, metals and cans top the list. Some items may be refinished or refurbished as part of an upcoming recycling effort. Look for more information about these items to come in a later blog post.

So if you're asking what we accept the short answer is "Yes!" Bring it on!