A smart donation

Phone It Forward reaching out to help Islanders

Islanders can donate their old smartphones to help individuals who are blind or partially sighted, thanks to a partnership with P.E.I. Public Libraries, the CNIB Foundation P.E.I. and the Canadian Urban Libraries Council.

Phone It Forward is the first program of its kind worldwide that refurbishes used smartphones, putting them directly in the hands of people with sight loss to transform lives.

For people who are blind, smartphones are a game-changer – a portable, all-in-one communications and accessibility solution.

In the hands of someone who is blind, a smartphone becomes more than most people can imagine – a critical tool that opens a world of opportunity and independence.

However, for too many, smartphones are out of reach.

Forty-six per cent of Canadians who are blind don’t own a smartphone – or not one that’s advanced enough to assist them in daily living.

The unemployment rate for persons with sight loss is triple the Canadian average, making affording a mobile device difficult for many.

Visit phoneitforward.ca for a list of participating libraries under the “Get An Envelope” section, then visit one of the 26 participating public libraries to pick up a Phone It Forward postagepaid envelope and to donate used smartphone(s).