Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com
AT&T will donate more than 30,000 prepaid phone cards in 2008, with a retail value of more than $200,000, to be distributed to military personnel stationed overseas with the help of the USO. This donation builds on more than 85 years of AT&T support for U.S. military families and a 20-year partnership with the USO. The company also recently provided a $315,000 sponsorship to support USO events and entertainment tours in 2008.
The donation program will begin with the first 10,000 prepaid cards distributed on overseas military bases and during USO entertainment tours slated for the weeks surrounding Mother’s Day. According to AT&T, this donation is in honor of U.S. military moms, whether they are on active duty or whether they have a son, daughter, husband or loved one who is actively serving.
In the coming weeks, the USO will help AT&T distribute the first 10,000 phone cards to troops throughout Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, South Korea, Japan, Spain, Italy and Germany, including personally handing cards to wounded military members at Landsthul Regional Medical Center. Each donated phone card will provide military members with 20 minutes of free talk time from Iraq to the U.S.
The donation builds on AT&T’s commitment to help keep military families connected: In the past two years, AT&T has donated prepaid phone cards with a retail value of over $4 million to help support U.S. military members and their families. In the past 20 years, AT&T has contributed tens of millions of dollars to the USO in support of the Operation USO Care Package and USO Operation Phone Home® programs as well as USO entertainment tours; and has helped the USO boost troop morale through funding regional operations in Europe, Southwest Asia and the Pacific.
Since 1941, the USO has provided morale, welfare and recreation-type programs and services to enhance the quality of life for military personnel and their families around the world. The USO currently operates more than 130 centers, including 10 mobile canteens, offering free Internet and e-mail access, prepaid international phone cards, entertainment and lounge areas, libraries, travel assistance and refreshments. USO entertainment tours bring celebrity volunteers to entertain and lift the morale of troops and to express the gratitude and support of the American people.
For more than 85 years, AT&T has remained dedicated to supporting active military personnel, their families and veterans through charitable contributions, sponsorships, the hiring of military veterans and maintaining policies that support reservists who are called to duty. Since 2000, AT&T has donated free prepaid phone cards with a retail value of nearly $8 million to military members and has provided nearly $6 million in grants that support military members and related nonprofit organizations. The company has also built 70 calling centers for military members stationed in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, so that they may stay in touch with their families.
