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U.S. Cellular provides free phones calls, internet access to those in need

November 24, 2016

Wireless provider celebrates Thanksgiving at Knox Area Rescue Ministries

On Thanksgiving, U.S. Cellular associates spent their holiday providing free phone calls and internet access at the annual Thanksgiving Day meal hosted by Knox Area Rescue Ministries. The wireless provider also donated $500 towards the cost of the food. Being able to call our families and loved ones is something we should never take for granted. Nor should we forget the luxury of internet access. For those who do not have these amenities, U.S. Cellular continued its commitment to the community by providing free phone calls and internet access at the annual Thanksgiving Day meal hosted by Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) in downtown Knoxville.

U.S. Cellular associates and family members, from left, Amy Stokes, Jess Baquet, Porter Baquet, 5, Heather Weidekamp, Ava Weidekamp, 2, Jeff Moy, Chris Stokes, Karen Haywood, Tom Sawyer, Ashley Carpenter and Joseph Bailey volunteer as the company provides free phone calls for those in need at the annual Thanksgiving meal at Knox Area Rescue Ministries  (KARM) on Nov. 24.

U.S. Cellular associates and family members, from left, Amy Stokes, Jess Baquet, Porter Baquet, 5, Heather Weidekamp, Ava Weidekamp, 2, Jeff Moy, Chris Stokes, Karen Haywood, Tom Sawyer, Ashley Carpenter and Joseph Bailey volunteer as the company provides free phone calls for those in need at the annual Thanksgiving meal at Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) on Nov. 24.

“Being able to call our family and friends or connect to the internet during the holidays is deeply important to most of us, but some people in our community do not have that ability,” said Karen Haywood, national retail area sales manager for U.S. Cellular. “Our business is all about keeping people connected no matter where they are across the world, and that’s why it’s especially significant for us to provide these devices and service to these individuals during the holiday season.”

U.S. Cellular provided free local and long distance calls to homeless individuals and those in need as part of the KARM annual community meal, which serves more than 1,000 homeless or hungry people. U.S. Cellular associates and their family members volunteered at the event to assist attendees with making free phone calls to family and friends across the country on Thanksgiving Day. The company also provided the phones to use and tablets with internet access. This year’s event will also feature a photo booth with instant print photos.

“We’ve been volunteering our time, devices and service for more than a decade,” Haywood said. “We love to see people talk with someone they care about and access information they need online. We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve the community in this way.”

About U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier offers coverage where the other carriers don’t and a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. U.S. Cellular has the Highest Wireless Network Quality Performance in the North Central Region, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, and 99 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.