Verizon Wireless Advances Additional $4.84 Million in Donations From Its Customers to Red Cross
January 21 2010 - 12:12PM
PR Newswire (US)
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- In its second direct
bank transfer in seven days, Verizon Wireless today transmitted
$4.84 million to the American Red Cross relief effort for Haiti,
representing additional pledges made by 762,284 Verizon Wireless
customers with pledges totaling $7.82 million to the Red Cross from
the beginning of the humanitarian relief effort through 11:00 a.m.
EST on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Verizon Wireless made an initial $2.98
million advance to the Red Cross on Friday, Jan. 15. Today's $4.84
million represents 100 percent of the donations made by Verizon
Wireless customers from 1:55 p.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 15 through
11:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 20. As the outpouring of support
continues from wireless users texting "HAITI" to 90999, the company
said it was advancing these funds pledged by Verizon Wireless
customers to the Red Cross, outside of normal operation procedures.
The company noted that the White House website
(http://www.whitehouse.gov/) endorsed the State Department's
specific request on Jan. 12 that Americans donate to the Haiti
relief effort by texting $10 pledges to the Red Cross: "For those
interested in helping immediately, simply text 'HAITI' to '90999'
and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross
to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill."
Jeffrey Towers, American Red Cross chief development officer, said,
"Raising this amount of money $10 at a time is a true testament to
the American spirit. The success of the mobile campaign shows the
powerful impact and opportunity this channel can have on
fundraising. The needs in Haiti are tremendous and we want to thank
the people who continue to donate and help the American Red Cross
meet that need." Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and
chief executive officer, said, "At a time when every hour counts,
companies like Verizon Wireless need to examine what we can do to
help our neighbors in need. In this instance, we put aside our
normal practices in order to expedite assistance to the American
Red Cross because of its opportunity to make an immediate
difference in the lives of thousands of Haitian people." About
Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most
reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving 89
million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with
85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of
Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (Nasdaq and LSE:
VOD). For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/.
To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and
high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to
the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. DATASOURCE: Verizon
Wireless CONTACT: Jeffrey Nelson, Verizon Wireless,
+1-917-968-9175, Web Site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
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