The AT&T-sponsored Cell Phones for Soldiers mobile phone recycling program has sent more than $2 million-worth of phone cards to U.S. troops stationed overseas.

Both carrier and nonprofit have been recycling mobile phones in more than 2,000 AT&T stores across 1,100 U.S. cities. The $2 million covers recycling proceeds and donations since the two joined forces in May last year.

"We know military families care a lot about staying connected, especially when they're stationed overseas," said Amanda Ray, spokeswoman for AT&T, San Antonio, TX. "We look at this as one more way of focusing on our keeping these military families connected."

It has been a year since the two companies teamed up. To celebrate the milestone, AT&T is now pledging another year of recycling support for the charity in all company-owned stores.

CPFS collects and recycles wireless phones and uses the proceeds to buy phone cards for U.S. military members and their families.

The first-year results of the program have surpassed the 2007 goal of raising $1.4 million, enough to provide a free 20-minute phone card for all troops stationed in Iraq at that time.

Phones recycled through AT&T stores, community drives and online tools have added volume to the broader efforts of the CPFS recycling program.

The program has collected more than 1 million total wireless phones since July 2007, including 90,000 phones collected via AT&T channels in the past three months.

This builds on the environmental challenge issued in April, when AT&T pledged to help the charity recycle 1.8 million phones by April 2009 and expanded its support beyond company stores.

Through community-based donation drives, volunteers have already collected more than 10,000 additional mobile phones in the just past few months.

AT&T is also supporting CPFS by accepting recycled phones via sponsored events such as the Vans Warped Tour 2008, a popular music festival making more than 40 stops across the U.S.

Another event is the AT&T National, in Bethesda, MD, where CPFS recycling mailer bags will be available to golf fans attending the tournament.

CPFS estimates it has sent about 200,000 free phone cards to military members since last May, when AT&T first announced its support and the two organizations began working together to build awareness for the cause.

"It's been a year of good hard work and we're looking forward to another year of it," Ms. Ray said. "We strip the phones of any personal info and evaluate whether they can be reused or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way."