TO DONATE

Link-Up and Lifeline are funded by voluntary contributions from telephone subscribers.

Please help if you can!

The number of Link-Up and Lifeline participants has increased substantially, while the donations that support the programs have declined.

Despite being one of the most industrialized and technologically advanced states in the union, Illinois has the 4th lowest level of telephone subscribership in the country. Only Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma have lower subscribership rates.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, Illinois was the only state that had a "significant decrease" in overall telephone subscribership last year. All types of telephones (home phones, wireless phones and internet phones) were included in the study.

Everyone benefits when more people have access to a telephone. A small monthly contribution through your telephone bill can connect a young family, a senior citizen, a person with disabilities, or other low-income individuals to emergency help, to doctors, to employers,to schools, and to relatives.

The Lifeline and Link-Up programs provide a way to close the gap. States that have taken advantage of federal universal service support for low-income consumers by instituting a state-based supplemental Lifeline program saw an average growth in telephone subscribership. In contrast, states that did not provide any Lifeline support beyond the basic federal support saw an average decline. http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/iatd/recent.html (section 2).

The federal government provides funds for Lifeline and Link-Up programs, but only if Illinois residents provide matching funds. By becoming a program donor, you can ensure that Illinois residents, and the Illinois economy benefit from the federal money that is available to assist low-income residents. Last year, Illinois received $9 million in federal funds that would have been lost if Illinois did not have these programs.

Illinois is unique in that all contributions to the Lifeline and Link-Up programs are voluntarily made by telephone subscribers- - no state tax dollars are used. These tax deductible, charitable contributions are made by current residential or business telephone subscribers. Residential telephone subscribers can contribute 50 cents, $1, $2, or $5 per month towards the program. Business customers can donate $1, $5, $10 or $25 per month. Remember, every donation helps!

Upon the customer's authorization, their local phone service provider will add the small monthly contribution to the customer's monthly phone bill.

To make your contribution online, click on the "DONATE NOW" button below.

To make your contribution via your phone bill, contact your local phone service provider and tell them you want to contribute to the Lifeline, Link-Up programs.

One-time contributions of any amount are also accepted. These can be sent to Universal Telephone Assistance Corporation, P.O. Box 1176, Springfield, IL 62705.

Contributions to the Universal Telephone Assistance Corporation (UTAC), a not-for-profit corporation, are deductible on income taxes to the extent allowed by law. Consult your tax advisor to determine how this applies to you.