Chrysler Answers Freedom’s Call — And Pays For It

Chrysler’s supporting soldiers in Iraq by paying for their phone calls home.

The company's charitable arm announced today that it has donated $100,000 to the Freedom Calls Foundation, which provides video and audio calls for soldiers stationed abroad to family members back home. The main goal of the foundation is to help improve the morale of the soldiers that are stationed in Iraq.

In November of 2007, Chrysler donated money to The Freedom Calls Foundation to help families connect with soldiers free of charge during the holiday season. It's been so popular, Chrysler extended its commitment through the end of 2008.

The latest $100,000 donation will support videoconferencing technology provided by the Foundation. The conferencing will be available at auto shows in various cities around the country including Detroit, Las Vegas and New York.

Frank Fountain, president of The Chrysler Foundation, said in a release that, "The Chrysler Foundation’s contribution helps to lift the morale of the men and women in uniform who are serving our country in Iraq, and bring together family members who otherwise would be separated.”

John Harlow the Executive Director of Freedom Calls Foundation said, “Nothing means more to military families than the opportunity to communicate with deployed loved ones and we are proud with Chrysler’s help to be able to make these vital services available to them.”

Currently, Freedom Calls manages more than 2,000 calls a month (around 1.5 million minutes) for military families to converse with their overseas family.