Home Instead Senior Care and the nonprofit organization Phones for Life will distribute free cellphones to seniors in need throughout Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The goal is to collect 10,000 used cellphones, which will be modified into emergency cellphones and donated to seniors. The phone drive is currently underway, with more than 300 drop boxes at Ralphs supermarkets.

"Having a cellphone is key to safety and serves as protection for seniors when venturing out into their communities," said emergency room physician Dee L'Archeveque, MD, founder of Phones for Life. For more information about the phone drive, please call (818) 236-2704 or go online to www.phones4life.org.

For information about Home Instead Senior Care and its nonmedical homecare services, call (866) 909-4472 or visit www.homeinstead.com.

Home Instead helps seniors with everyday tasks while allowing them to live at home.