MADISON, Wis.-Cellular One of Wisconsin and Northern Illinois said it will provide cellular phones and airtime to homeless people again this Thanksgiving so they can speak with family and friends.
More than 70 Cellular One employees volunteered for the fifth Annual Thanksgiving Day Phone Calling Program, allowing the company to work with 12 shelters in seven cities. The volunteers bring phones to the shelters while Thanksgiving dinner is being served and assist clients with locating phone numbers and placing long-distance phone calls anywhere in the continental United States.
The goal of the program is to break down the communication barriers often experienced by homeless individuals and their families, said Leon Hensen, Cellular One of Wisconsin and Northern Illinois general manager.
“This program makes great use of our company resources, but we’re most thankful for our employee volunteers who have offered their time to make it happen,” Hensen said.
Since the program was initiated in 1993, more than 3,000 long-distance phone calls have been made by shelter clients.
