Verizon Wireless Launches Mobile Giving Campaign To Support Famine Relief Efforts In East Africa

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The United Nations officially declared a famine in East Africa. Verizon Wireless has quickly implemented a mobile giving program for customers looking for a simple way to contribute to relief efforts in East Africa.  The company said today that customers can use their mobile phones to make donations to a variety of nonprofit organizations responding to the famine and the millions of people in need of food aid – including UNICEF, World Vision, and International Rescue Committee.

“When the U.N. declared a famine in East Africa, we knew that our innovative technology could help make a difference.  We quickly took action and set up this mobile giving campaign, offering our customers an easy and secure way to get involved in the relief efforts,” said Marquett Smith, vice president of corporate communications at Verizon Wireless. 

Customers can choose from 11 different nonprofit organizations and make $10 donations by sending a text message to the organizations below, or make a $5 donation to the United Nations Foundation by texting the keyword CERF to 90999.  Donating is easy – customers simply text the specific word to the organization’s designated short code:

• International Rescue Committee: Text “AFRICA” to 25383
• UNICEF: Text “FOOD” to 864233
• World Vision: Text “4AFRICA” to 20222
• International Medical Corps: Text AFRICA to 80888
• Plan International USA: Text PLAN to 85944
• Samaritan's Purse: Text FOOD to 80888
• GlobalGiving: Text GIVE AID to 80888
• World Food Program USA: Text AID to 27722
• Feed My Starving Children: Text MEALS to 80000
• CHF International: Text PROGRESS to 50555

Verizon Wireless always waives text-messaging fees for disaster relief, so text messages are free when used to make donations to any of these organizations, and 100 percent of each donation goes to the relief organization.  For Verizon Wireless customers who pay monthly bills, the donations will appear on the next regular monthly bill.  For customers using the company’s prepaid services, the donation will be taken from customers’ prepaid balances.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit 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 www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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