A Summer to Smile About
Our last community blog post highlighted how we ushered in a new season. From celebrating heritage to our support being recognized in local markets, we have a lot to smile about. While summer days may come to an end, the smiles we create last a lifetime. #CricketNation has been working hard to inspire smiles one meaningful connection at a time in our communities.

Back to School
In our recent survey conducted by OnePoll, we found that 58% of parents believe that school supplies prices have increased considerably compared to when they attended school. Our teams have activated in over 35 communities to help parents and students begin the school year with a smile and supplies.

Out west, we went beyond school supplies and provided families with food boxes, health screenings, and free haircuts for youth. In collaboration with Motorola, Univision and Authorized Retailer, Budget we greeted 4,200+ families in Huntington Park, CA. Meanwhile in Northern California, we came together with Univision Radio, Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley (BGCSV) and Boys & Girls Clubs of Contra Costa (BGCCC), as well as Authorized Retailer, TKS Wireless for greater impact. Over 50 Club members left the event with a new hairdo and a backpack ready to take on the new school year with a smile. We could not let the festivities pass without acknowledging the educators who play an important role in students’ success, so we surprised Xitlali and Stephan of BGCSV with a Motorola 5G smartphone accompanied with three months of service and a Target gift card!
 

 

In Missouri we kept the momentum in coordination with Authorized Retailer, PQH. 85 students from Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield O’Reilly Unit, played games, collected their filled backpacks and nominated a teacher who goes the extra smile. The Williams Elementary teacher was surprised with a $500 gift card for classroom essentials and a Samsung tablet. 
 
 

Car Giveaway
Being a part of #CricketNation means we provide value and perks. In Phoenix we hosted a car giveaway event in collaboration with local businesses featuring live entertainment and food. We raffled a car and coincidentally a Cricket customer won! Through radio, social, and digital amplification we welcomed over 300 attendees. And for those who did not win the car, there were opportunities to win raffled BBQ grills, school supplies and more. With three months of community awareness leading up to the event, the initiative would not be possible without the help of Authorized Retailers Sun Com, Independent, Optimal, Daystar and PQH!
 


Backpack Design Competition
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite design in our Backpack Design Competition for a chance to win $500, a tablet and backpacks filled with back-to-school essentials! Your opportunity to vote ends on September 7. Then stay tuned to find out about the winning designs and lucky winners.