Students hoping to help others and the environment can now do both by simply upgrading their gadgets.
In an initiative sponsored by Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law and the Centre County Women’s Resource Center, 140 W. Nittany Ave., is accepting unwanted cell phones, with the goal of obtaining 300 cell phones by May 10, according to a press release.
The Centre County Women’s Resource Center provides free services for people who have experienced domestic or sexual violence, according to the center’s Web site.
The phones donated to the resource center are programmed so that a woman can call 911 in a potentially dangerous situation, said Betsy VanNoy, a prevention educator at the center.
Others that are too damaged to operate are recycled.
“It seems like it’s simple enough [and] gives people something to do with their cell phones rather than just throw them away,” VanNoy also said.
Shelter Alliance, a national organization that pays participating organizations for cell phones they collect, will award five $1,000 prizes to participants who collect at least 300 phones between April 1 and June 30, according to the release.
As of an April 14 press release, the shelter had received 125 cell phones, and it is “still shy” of the 300 mark, Jaime Bumbarger (graduate-law) said.
Bumbarger came up with the idea before spring break when students were getting new cell phones, she said.
“It happened to coincide where the resource center was facing possible budget cuts, [so] it seemed to fit together and seemed a logical solution,” she said.
In addition to the possible $1,000 prize, the center will receive money from each phone, with the value dependent on the type of phone, Bumbarger said. The Centre County Women’s Resource Center collects phones year round, VanNoy said, adding that since it became involved with Verizon’s HopeLine program in 2003, the resale of cell phones has raised $5,309 for the center.
“That’s a significant number,” VanNoy said.
Jane Dahms, vice president of Penn State student group EcoAction, said that with iPods and other electronics, the student body probably produces a lot more waste compared to five or 10 years ago.
“[Cell phones] contain heavy metals, which are often toxic,” she said. “We try and promote recycling.”
Marquis Hudson, a senior at State College Area High School, donated four cell phones to the center, he said.
“Instead of having it sit around, you can give it to people that need it,” he said.
Cell phones can be donated at the center until June 30, Bumbarger said.
