Senator George Amedore and AT&T are partnering with Cell Phones For Soldiers and ask residents throughout the 46th Senate District to help troops call home by donating old and unneeded mobile devices and tablets.

For every donated phone valued at $5, Cell Phones For Soldiers is able to provide two-and-a-half hours of free talk time to deployed troops via calling cards. All proceeds from the recycled devices will be used to buy long-distance calling cards for troops at home and abroad.

The holiday mobile device collection drive runs through the end of December.

In Albany County cell phones and other gently-used mobile devices may be donated at these locations:

— Guilderland Public Library, 2228 Western Ave., Guilderland;

— Altamont Free Library, 179 Main St, Altamont; and

— AT&T Store, Crossgates Mall, Route 20, Guilderland.

Cell Phones For Soldiers was founded in 2004 by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist at the ages of 12 and 13. The charity has since provided more than 300 million minutes of free talk time to servicemen and women stationed around the world through its calling card program, Minutes That Matter. Funds raised from the recycling of cellular phones are used to purchase prepaid international calling cards.

To erase all personal information that may be stored on it to protect your privacy: Remove your phone’s SIM card to erase your address book, photos, messages, and other stored information. Also, factory settings should be restored.

For instructions on how to do this, consult your owner’s manual or go to the manufacturer’s website.