Robert Triggs/Android Authority
It is certain that in the 21st century we accumulate old appliances in our drawers and cupboards. You may have vague thoughts that you might still need your old phone or might sell it. But it inevitably sits and gathers dust.
One idea is to recycle it. This could be by selling it or exchanging it for a discount on your new device, but the most charitable way to recycle your phone is to give it to a good cause. In that spirit, we’ve put together a list of places where you can donate your old phone.
Where to donate your old phone
Although you might not think of it right away, there are a wide range of organizations that can make use of your old phone.
Some will refurbish it and sell it to raise money for a cause. Some will use it to improve lives. Many will give you the means to have it shipped for free, while others may ask for more charity by asking you to cover shipping costs.
What they have in common is the goal of making the world a better place. You can select the device that you think is best to receive your old device. We’ll outline ten good options, but they’re not the only ones out there if you want to do a little more research on your own.
This list pertains to the United States, but some organizations operate internationally, and it is likely that there will be similar charities in other countries.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army operates in 133 countries and helps 25 million people in America alone each year. Ways to help are many and varied, from hunger and homelessness relief to disaster relief and after-school programs.
Equally diverse is the range of goods you can donate, and cell phones are one of the items they accept. They may not be accepted at every Salvation Army location, but it’s easy to find out. You can enter your zip code on the website to find a delivery location near you, or you can call them.
Soldiers’ cell phones
Cell Phones for Soldiers is a nonprofit organization committed to providing active and combative military service members with emergency communications services and financing. By recycling more than 25 million mobile phones, the charity has reduced the impact on landfills while providing more than 400 million minutes of airtime to troops over the past two decades.
The organization does not actually send donated devices to the military for security and cost reasons. She sells refurbished phones and then buys gift cards for the men and women in the field to use on certified phones.
If you’re donating fewer than ten devices, you’ll need to pay for shipping when you send in your phone, although it’s very easy to do on the website. Alternatively, you can leave your old phone at more than 3,000 locations across the country.
Paramedic
Medic is dedicated to creating, distributing, and maintaining cutting-edge open source software for healthcare professionals serving in the most inaccessible regions of the world, especially parts of Asia and Africa.
You can print a free shipping label from the website to send your old phone in. In addition to preventing the device from being tossed in the trash, it will be recycled, and the proceeds will fund the organization’s various projects.
Call2Recycle
Call 2 Recycle started out by focusing on recycling old batteries to keep the toxic waste they produce out of the garbage system. They now accept all cell phones too, even without batteries. The materials can be reused in other products, or the cell phone can be resold and help fund recycling and education initiatives.
The organization has drop off sites spread across the country. Head to the website and provide your zip code to find out the one closest to you.
good intention
One of the more familiar nonprofits on the list, Goodwill helps those who struggle to find work to reskill and find the right opportunity. By donating old cell phones, your local Goodwill can sell them in physical stores or online, generating revenue to fund basic employment training and placement services for individuals within your community.
Goodwill is another leak-only option. Use the Store Locator button on the website to find your nearest Goodwill Donation Center.
Green Drop
GreenDrop is another organization that accepts a wide variety of goods, including your old cell phone. Although it is a for-profit business, it is a professional fundraising project that supports non-profit organizations such as the American Red Cross and the National Federation of the Blind.
Greendrop has thrift stores that sell merchandise and keep it out of the landfill. You can drop off your old cell phone at any of these locations, which can be found through the website.
Call safety
Call to Safety, originally a Portland women’s crisis line, is among the leading sexual violence crisis lines in the United States, with its primary service area being Portland, Oregon, and Washington.
A major Call to Safety initiative includes distributing function phones to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, enabling them to call 911 for help. In addition, the organization recycles damaged phones as a source of income to fund its services.
Your old phone is not accepted in any way. Just head to the site and find the mailing address you can send your device to.
call lock
Secure the Call specializes in recycling and redistributing donated cell phones to vulnerable people in the community. These may be elderly people or victims of domestic violence, which gives them the ability to contact the emergency service in times of crisis.
There are two ways to donate your old device to secure the call. You can either print a shipping label from the website and mail the phone in or find the nearest delivery keg. They ask you to pay postage to mail the phone in if you can, but in the end, they’ll pay for it if you just want to get rid of your device.
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) works to support victims of domestic violence in a number of ways and seeks to address the root causes that lead to such behaviours. Programs include Remember My Name, a memorial for the many women, children, and men killed by abusers in the United States, and reproductive coercion, which is behavior used to pressure or force a woman to become pregnant, or to continue or terminate her pregnancy. will.
There is a link specifically related to a phone donation on the homepage, with devices accepted in any case. You mail your old device to the Foundation at your expense, though if you donate three or more devices, shipping is free.
cell
If you’d rather donate old cell phones to help animals, Cell4 Pets might be the right choice for you. Rather than simply accepting it as a donation, Cell4 Pets offers the option to purchase your old phone if it still holds value. They buy different devices, including iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones and tablets. Once your device is resold or recycled, Cell4 Pets donates a portion of the proceeds to the North Shore Animal League, a no-kill animal shelter that helps dogs and cats in need.
You can get a quote for the value of your old device on the website and print a free shipping label if you want to go ahead with a sale or donation.
Helping these causes is very noble, but it’s fair to say that not everyone is financially able to give away their old device for free. We have a guide on how to sell your old phone to make a little extra cash.