The Importance of Giving

Beautiful Cristmas gifts with European Holly (Ilex aquifolium) o
Earlier this year we crossed a huge milestone by reaching 1.5 million customers. We celebrated this accomplishment with a company donation to three charities. To help determine which charities would receive our gift, we turned to our employees.

After they picked the American Cancer Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and the Wounded Warrior Project, each charity received a $150,000 donation.

Giving back is an essential part of the Consumer Cellular culture.

In this blog article, I am pleased to report how our company and employees give throughout the year, not just during the winter holiday season when gift-giving is expected or when we reach a special milestone. They give every day at work, by providing great customer service, and they give after-hours to friends, neighbors and strangers by donating or volunteering.

For instance, our employees donate to food banks, as well as to blood and school supply drives, on a regular basis, efforts that directly benefit their local communities. In December, employees participate in a Holiday Giving Tree, in which they “adopt” several families and provide them with gifts.

This year we started a new program at each of our three locations – Portland, Redmond, Phoenix.  Each site runs a committee that uses employee recommendations to help identify and award deserving local or national organizations.  Committees grant $5,000 each quarter. So far, organizations benefiting from this new program include Boys & Girls Clubs, American Heart Association and Ronald McDonald House.

That’s not all.  To help encourage charity and ensure our employee donations get maximum value, Consumer Cellular offers an annual matching program.  Through this program we match every dollar or hour an employee donates, essentially doubling their contribution.

I would like to close this blog with a quote from the poet Maya Angelou. She once said, “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”  As the co-founder and president of Consumer Cellular I certainly feel blessed, as I’m supported daily by generous employees and appreciative customers. Thank you.

Wishing you all a cheerful holiday season!

15 Thoughts on "The Importance of Giving"

  1. Ernest Segre-Lewis says

    Thanks for great service. It is a good feeling being with a company that you are proud of. I recommend your service to many. In these days of companies whose only object is their bottom line you are a shining example of free enterprise as it should be.
    Merry Christmas to you and your employees.

  2. Felix Dalbor says

    CC is a shinning example of people working for people. Its nice to see CC reach 1.5 million customers and I hope it expands even more. I would like to see CC’s support people obtain phone setup data from AT&T’s support people. While CC’s support is outstanding they sometimes do not have all the data needed to get the most of a customers phones. If CC’s support people could give even better service I think they could compete with the big boys. It would be great (and even more customers would switch). Merry Christmas to all the CC people and may the company go over 2.5 million customers by next year. I recommend CC to everyone I know. My pleasure, and I hope to see even more people switch. CC’s service with AT&T’s network is a outstanding combination.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for your kind words, Felix. We very much appreciate you recommending us!

  3. Jerry says

    Above you state, “So far, organizations benefiting from this new program include Boys & Girls Clubs, American Heart Association and Ronald McDonald House.” Please help local Animal Shelters to care for abused animals. Thank You.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for commenting, Jerry. We will certainly keep such a worthy cause in mind. Thank you!

  4. Gloria says

    Was glad to hear of the three charities that received donations this year….those are three of my favs. God Bless and Keep up the good job CC!

  5. Carlos Gonzalez says

    That was a nice message from the CEO. Please consider Academia America and the important citizensip/immigration work we do in our next round of possible funding. I talk you guys up at every AARP volunteer meeting or action we have. Keep up the good work.

  6. Lee Inman says

    Great blog. I heartily recommend CC to everyone. I would like to see other companies run in a like manner. The “Big Boys” could learn a few things if they would look away from their bottom line long enough. While CC may not be the biggest, they are by far the best in my opinion….customer service, fairness, pricing schedule, you name it, along with giving back to the community. CC looks out for their customers on a daily basis…a great company. I just wish I had started my service with CC sooner. I have owned my home for over 25 years and as a very satisfied CC customer, I can now enjoy cell service at my home. This is a first for me!. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  7. Bernard Lenz says

    Dear Consumer Cellular,
    Thank you for your grand sense of community charity. Without love and caring, despite all of our advances in society, we are nothing. I am challenged to give. Thank you for reminding me of this.

  8. Deborah Gibson says

    As you can see from my email address, I work at St. Jude. THANK YOU SO MUCH for choosing to help “our kids” – it pleases me to no end that the company that provides my cell phone service, also contributes to the work we do here! As so many others have said, you set an example of what “free enterprise” could be, if we all made service our priority, instead of profit. Have a great new year!

  9. Tom Baisler says

    Your company is incredible, not only do you provide the best service in the industry, you also donate to some very good causes. As a veteran, thank you for your help with Wounded Warrior Project. I know these men and women need all the help they can get.
    Thank you again.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for the kind words, Tom. We are very proud to support such fine organizations.

  10. Dick Hopkins says

    On Sept 1st, had the pleasure of connecting with your representative Timothy, & he was so very helpful to this senior citizen. I forgot much of the instructions on my Zoro 7050 flip top phone, and managed to misinterpret some of what little I remembered & Timothy came to my rescue. He was so very patient, realized I was dumber than dirt as regards to that instrument & I was so grateful when the call ended. CC has a “Keeper” in that employee. Regards Dick Hopkins

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, Dick. That’s what we like to hear, and I’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Timothy and his direct supervisor so he receives proper recognition!