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Foster Kids Stay Connected With Family, Friends During Holidays Thanks to Free Long-Distance

Foster Kids Stay Connected With Family, Friends During Holidays Thanks to Free Long-Distance

Published 12-31-02

Submitted by Birch Telecom

KANSAS CITY, MO - More than 1,000 foster children and other kids living in shelters have been able to stay in touch with their loved ones this holiday season, thanks to free long-distance service from Birch Telecom.

The company has completed distribution of 1,200 calling cards containing more than 70,000 minutes of service to 60 foster-care programs and children’s organizations across 9 states: Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

The donation grew out of a request last year by a social worker at The Shelter in Lawrence, Kan. Birch thought it was such a great idea that the company launched what is now an annual program by donating cards to 13 foster-care centers across six states.

This year’s donation includes 47 more foster programs across three additional states, quadrupling last year’s effort.

"The communities we serve are very important to us, and we're happy to show it with this small gesture during the holiday season," said Dave Scott, CEO of Birch. "There is nothing more important than keeping in touch with family and friends, especially during the holidays."

Leon Lorenc, assistant director of Youth Focus in Greensboro, N.C., said Birch’s donation is noteworthy, not just for its generosity, but also as an innovative way to spread holiday cheer. “Until (Birch’s) phone call a few days ago, the idea of someone addressing our kids’ needs to contact family over the holidays via donated phone cards never occurred to us,” Lorenc said. “There are few donations our agency receives where the benefit is so immediately evident to staff and so cherished by the children.”

Judy Hay, community relations director for Harris County Children’s Protective Services in Houston, said the service provided by Birch has been an invaluable way to lift the spirits of the children in their care and also has been educational.

"This donation from Birch is a creative idea, as both a gift to the children living away from relatives, and as a learning tool,” Hay said. “Most, if not all, of the foster children have never used a long-distance card before.”

Kelley Carpenter, marketing director at The Villages in Topeka, Kan., said gifts such as the Birch calling cards help children in their care adjust to new living arrangements during trying times.

“When the kids arrive in a strange new place, it really helps them to stay connected,” Carpenter said. “The cards were distributed to each of our eight group homes. They’re being put to good use.”

About Birch
Serving small to mid-size businesses and residential customers, Birch Telecom offers local and long-distance telephone services on one bill across more than 40 major metro markets in 10 states. In addition, residential Internet service (dial-up) and high-speed access for businesses (T-1, DSL and ISDN) is available in select markets. For more information about Birch, visit www.birch.com. Or, to get Birch telephone service in your home, call toll-free (866) 347-3843.

Complete list of foster programs by state: www.birch.com/foster_programs

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