AT&T Helps Connect Military Families for Mother's Day, Supports the USO and Military Moms with Free Phone Calls and Entertainment
Donates First 10,000 of More Than 50,000 Prepaid Phone Cards to U.S. Military Members, Provides $300,000 Sponsorship for Uso Entertainment Tours
San Antonio, Texas, May 11, 2007
AT&T will donate more than 50,000 prepaid phone cards in 2007, valued at more than $450,000, 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 $300,000 sponsorship to support USO entertainment tours in 2007.
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, or husband 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. "Calling Mom for Mother’s Day is an American tradition, and we know that military families are no different in this respect," said Carmen Nava, senior vice president, Distribution, AT&T. "In salute to U.S. military moms everywhere, we hope this first donation will help ease some of the challenges posed by distance, time zones and ongoing military duties — and bring loved ones closer together."
The donation builds on AT&T’s commitment to help keep military families connected: Since January 2006, AT&T donated nearly 200,000 prepaid phone cards — valued at nearly $1.8 million — to 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 Operation USO Care Package, Operation Phone Home® and USO entertainment tours; and has helped the USO enhance 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 phone cards, entertainment and lounge areas, libraries, travel assistance and refreshments. USO entertainment tours bring volunteer celebrities 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 when called to duty. Since 2000, AT&T has donated nearly $8 million in free prepaid phone cards to military members and has provided nearly $6 million in grants supporting 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.
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About the USO: For more than 66 years, the USO (United Service Organizations) has been providing morale, welfare and recreational services to U.S. military personnel and their families. The USO is a nonprofit, charitable organization, relying on the generosity of the American people to support its programs and services. The USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners AT&T Inc., BAE Systems North America, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, DRS Technologies, Inc., Military Channel, S & K Sales Co., TriWest Healthcare Alliance and The Walt Disney Company. Other corporate donors, including the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381), have joined thousands of individual donors to support the USO. For more information on the USO, please visit our Web site at www.uso.org.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access, and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.
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