Through donating used cell phones, anyone has the capability to take a stand against domestic violence and potentially save a victim's life.

Penn State Rotaract, a service organization, began collecting cell phones last month to benefit Centre County Women's Resource Center.

The group will collect as many phones as possible and send them to The Wireless Foundation. In return, The Wireless Foundation will send Rotaract a check, which they will donate to the resource center.

The Wireless Foundation restores the phones and sells them at a cheaper price to victims of domestic violence. The profits are given to other organizations also dedicated to this cause.

Organizations that receive funds, like the resource center, provide shelter, advocacy, support groups, accompaniment in court and other programs for victims of sexual violence. Money generated from Rotaract's drive would support these causes.

"Over the last one and a half years, I've seen information about organizations that are collecting phones nationally. It's really helpful to us if we end up getting money and someone else is doing the work," said Debra Greenleaf an employee of the resource center.

She heads a similar project called HopeLine through Verizon Wireless.

"Fundraisers are hard to run because they take time and money away from other programs and victims," she said.

Rotaract hopes to collect at least 100 cell phones but has not had much success so far.

"We've collected about 15 [cell phones]. The problem is that a lot of people have their cell phones at their homes," Kim Hudson (sophomore-business management) said.

Hudson is a member of the Rotaract club and is helping to run the Donate a Phone program here at Penn State. The drive will run past spring break so students have the opportunity to bring their phones back when they return.

According to www.donateaphone.com, about 2 million phones have already been collected through the national Call to Protect/Donate A Phone campaign. The foundation donated $1.7 million to domestic abuse agencies in 2003.

Donated cell phones, which don't get recycled for parts, are reprogrammed for the new user. The original owner's phone book and any personal information stored in it are erased from the memory. The cell phones are pre-programmed with two numbers, including 911 and a number of the victim's choice.

The victims also receive free minutes to use if they find themselves in an emergency situation. Wireless carriers who are members of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association donate these minutes.

"I would like to help. The phone could serve as a lifeline and in fact save someone's life," Hudson said.

Jake Sarpen (junior-chemical engineering), a cell phone donor, said Donate a Phone is a worthwhile program. "Domestic abuse is a real problem. Anything that raises awareness or helps to combat it is really needed."