AT&T Helps Connect Military Families for Mother's Day, Supports the USO and Military Moms With Free Phone Calls
SAN ANTONIO, May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 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.
"At AT&T, we care about helping to keep military families connected," said
Glenn Lurie, president, national distribution, AT&T. "We're glad to do what
we can to help moms connect with their loved ones -- whether mom is receiving
the call here at home -- or making the call here as an active military member
overseas or across the country. We hope these donated cards will help to make
the weeks surrounding Mother's Day a little more special for the families
separated by active duty."
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(R) 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.
About the USO
The USO (United Service Organizations) provides 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, Gallery Furniture, S & K Sales
Co., and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. 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, please visit our
Web site at http://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 http://www.att.com.
(C) 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T
logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual
Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.
Note: This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part
of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. For more information, please review
this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom.
SOURCE AT&T Inc.