T-Mobile is turning 25 of its stores into thank-you stations for first responders this weekend, kicking off a week of celebrations leading up to National First Responders Day.
T-Mobile shared the plans alongside the First Responders Children’s Foundation. On Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, 25 T-Mobile stores across the country will host appreciation events with free food, games, giveaways, photo ops, and “Gratitude Walls” where you can leave a note for the people who show up when it matters. Some locations will even have emergency vehicles on display. T-Mobile is also donating $125,000 to FRCF to help local first responders and their families with things like scholarships, mental health counseling, and disaster relief.
Then on October 28, National First Responders Day itself, FRCF hosts its Roll Call of Heroes ceremony in Times Square, with Jon Stewart back as host for a second year. Nineteen first responders will be honored across fire, EMS, 911 dispatch, law enforcement, and volunteer response, and you can watch the livestream at 1stRCF.org/NFRD. It’s a big year for the ceremony, too, marking FRCF’s 25th anniversary, 25 years since 9/11, and America’s 250th birthday.
T-Mobile’s own first responder network gets a moment in the spotlight as well. T-Priority is sponsoring a brand-new Leadership Award, going to Chad Huff of Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services in Georgia. T-Mobile Business Group chief enterprise officer Chris Sambar praised Huff and pointed to T-Priority’s role in keeping responders connected. This continues T-Mobile’s support for FRCF from last year, when it launched a holiday giving campaign for first responders that included donations to the foundation.
If one of the 25 stores is near you, it’s a nice, easy way to say thanks in person, and you don’t need to be shopping for a new phone to stop in. Keep an eye on T-Life, too, since last year’s campaign included ways for customers to trigger donations right from the app, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see something similar again.