Swap Your Cell Phones for Food

The Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB) and national sponsor Petro-Canada have announced a Phones-for-Food program. The scheme will collect and recycle used cell phones to generate funds for food banks. The first of its kind in Canada, this national project is an extension of the already successful thINK FOOD project that has recycled inkjet cartridges for two years, raising more than US$65,000 for food banks across Canada.

Members of the public are encouraged to throw their inactive cell phones into designated drop-boxes rather than the garbage. Phones are recycled with local Food Banks receiving the proceeds.

The Canadian Association of Food Banks is the umbrella organization for food banks, representing over 250 member food banks across Canada. CAFB members serve 90% of the people accessing emergency food relief in Canada. In March of 2002, 748,000 people turned to food banks for an emergency supply of groceries. In that same month, over 2 million meals were served to Canada's hungry through meal programs, breakfast clubs, shelters and hostels.

Petro-Canada is one of Canada's largest oil and gas companies, operating in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the industry in Canada and internationally. "

Posted to the site on 7th February 2003