The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Police Department is hosting a charity donation drive from Jan. 23-28 to collect electronic devices for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
The donation drive is a partnership between the UTC Police Department, the 911 Cell Phone Bank and the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults.
The 911 Cell Phone Bank, nationally recognized for its work with law enforcement and victim advocate groups, collects all small electronic devices—including smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, iPods, iPads and game players.
They are then refurbished and distributed upon request to law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations across the country.
As part of this collaboration, the UTC Police Department will be provided reloadable Trac phones. In turn, the phones will be given—at no charge—to survivors of relationship abuse; in incidents of relationship violence, abusers will often destroy the victim’s cell phone or device.
The UTC Police Department has partnered with the Mocs women’s basketball team for the donation drive. Patrons bringing any small donatable electronic devices to the games on Jan. 26 vs. UNC Greensboro (7 p.m. tipoff at McKenzie Arena) or Jan. 28 vs. Western Carolina (2 p.m.) will receive a “Buy One, Get One Half Off” offer for a general admission ticket.
Devices should be brought to the box office at Gate 2 or Gate 3 to receive this offer; UTC Police personnel will be inside the arena to collect the donated devices.
People who would like to help victims of relationship violence and have an electronic device to recycle—but cannot make it to the games—can drop them off at the donation collection box in the UTC Police Department front lobby at 400 Palmetto Street.