Senator DeFrancisco's 2013-2014 Cell Phones for Soldiers Collection Drive Breaks Record Amount

State Senator John A. DeFrancisco is pleased to announce that his 2013/2014 Cell Phones for Soldiers collection drive has resulted in nearly 1,600 mobile phones - a record amount!

Senator DeFrancisco would like to thank the Central New York community for once again answering the call to help support this worthy cause and break a record for two consecutive years!  Due to the community’s generosity, Cell Phones for Soldiers, a national nonprofit organization, will be able to recycle these gently-used donated phones to provide soldiers serving overseas with approximately 3,000 pre-paid calling cards.  That’s about 3,000 hours, 180,000 minutes, of FREE phone time for deployed troops to call home.

As a veteran of the United States Air Force, Senator DeFrancisco is extremely grateful for all those who continue support our brave service men and women.  Over the past six years, Senator DeFrancisco’s Cell Phones for Soldiers collection drive has netted more than 7,500 mobile phones with various local shopping centers, libraries, schools, businesses, and organizations serving as donation sites for the public. This collective effort has proven successful year after year – thanks to the increasing support of the Central New York community!

Senator DeFrancisco is pictured with Major Nikki-Nichelle Ruffin and Staff Sergeant Alex Joy of the Syracuse Army Recruiting Division. Sgt. Joy holds a stack of pre-paid international calling cards.  Behind them are more than 20 large boxes of donated cell phones from the Central New York community.  These gently-used mobile phones will be recycled, so Cell Phones for Soldiers can purchase calling cards for deployed United States military personnel.