Cell Phones Available for Ormond Beach FL Needy Families

SafeLink Wireless provides a free cell phone and monthly minutes to low-income households that qualify, including those on food stamps, Medicaid and living in Section 8 housing.

SafeLink is offered by TracFone Wireless, a prepaid cell phone company, as part of the government program Lifeline.

"This is one of the times that free does mean free," said Jose Fuentes, director of government relations for Tracfone.

Lifeline was started in 1984 by the Federal Communications Commission as a way to ensure low-income families had a landline phone in their homes.

The program is funded by fees collected from phone companies and their customers.

According to a press release from TracFone, in 2006, phone carriers paid more than $469 million to the Lifeline fund.

Tracfone worked with the FCC to get cell phones added to the Lifeline program. So far, SafeLink is available in 17 states and Florida joined the list last September, Mr. Fuentes said.

"We are doing exactly what Lifelife was intended to do," he said. "Twenty years ago, cell phones were considered a luxury. But as technology has evolved, it is now a necessity. Everyone should have one."

While Mr. Fuentes could not provide any official numbers on how many people have signed up in Florida, he said it has been "a very successful program."

To sign up for SafeLink Wireless, visit http://www.safelink.com/ or call 1-800-977-3768.

Sherry Armstrong, Realtor
http://www.ormondbeachflhome.com/
http://www.sherryarmstrong.com/

(resource: MyHometownNews)