Bypassing the usual short code payment channels, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ, NYSE:VOD) is shipping millions of dollars in text donations to the Red Cross in an effort to get the funds immediately into the hands of the relief organization as it deals with the aftermath of last week’s Haiti earthquake. Last Friday, Verizon made a bank transfer to the Red Cross for $2.98 million in what amounted to an advance on donations pledged but not yet received by the operator.
Short codes, which were designed to power non-emergency transactions such as text voting and app downloads, usually have a long settlement period, requiring an operator to bill a customer, collect payment and then pay an SMS aggregator, which then distributes the funds–a process that can take more than a month. Due to the sheer volume of giving and the the importance of funds to immediate emergency response, Verizon last week began exploring ways of expediting the payment process. But on Friday it decided to just take its customers on faith and advance the Red Cross the funds. The 2.98 million represents 100% of the donations pledged by Verizon customers to the Red Cross International Relief Fund as of 2 PM Friday. Since then Verizon customers have pledged millions more to a multitude of non-profits involved in Haiti emergency relief, and VZW plans to make another payment to the Red Cross–the target of most of that giving–this week.
Sprint (NYSE:S) has also begun advancing pledged funds to the relief organization, and T-Mobile (NYSE:DT) and AT&T (NYSE:T) are planning to do so, according to the Wall Street Journal. As of 9 AM Friday, Sprint had received text pledges for $1.2 million from its customers, and it to advanced 80% of those funds to their recipients with the remainder to follow. Meanwhile T-Mobile told the Journal it plans to advance 100% of its pledged relief donations, and AT&T is looking into ways to expedite its own payment process.
According to Verizon, all customers across all carriers have contribited more than $25 million to the relief effort, the largest recipient being the Red Cross with $19 million in pledged donations. The Mobile Giving Foundation, one of two non-profit that acts as SMS aggregator for multiple charities, said on Monday it has processed more than $20 million in text pledges in the US and Canada. On Sunday alone $3.5 million in pledges went through. Meanwhile several more relief organizations have begun tapping into the Foundation and mGive’s short code services. The following is an updated list of charities and relief organizations that can received donations via SMS in the US and Canada:
In the US:
- Text the word “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 On behalf of the American Red Cross in the U.S.
- Text the workd “HAITI” to 864833 to donate $5 On behalf of the United Way
- Text the word “Yele” to 501501 to donate $5, or text the word “Yele10” or “YeleTen” to 501501 to donate $10 On behalf of the Yéle Foundation, the leading contributor to rebuilding Haiti founded by Wyclef Jean
- Text the word “QUAKE” to 20222 to donate $10 On behalf of The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
- Text the word “Haiti” to 20222 to donate $10 On behalf of the Clinton Foundation Haiti Relief Fund
- Text the word “Haiti” to 52000 to donate $10 On behalf of the Salvation Army
- Text the word “Hope10” or “UNICEF” to 20222 to donate $10 On behalf of UNICEF
- Text the word “Haiti” to 40579 to donate $10 On behalf of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB)
- Text the word “Save” or “Safe” to 20222 to donate $10 On behalf of Save the Children Federation, Inc.
- Text the word “Give” or “World” to 20222 to donate $10 On behalf of World Vision Inc.
- Text the word “Haiti” to 85944 to donate $10 On behalf of the International Medical Corps
- Text the word “Haiti” to 25383 to donate $5 On behalf of the International Rescue Committee
- Text the word “Oxfam” to 25383 to donate $10 On behalf of Oxfam America, Inc.
- Text the word “PP” to 25383 to donate $10 On behalf of Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc. (CARE)
- Text the word “Americares” to 25383 to donate $10 On behalf of Americares, Inc.
- Text the word “Habitat” to 25383 to donate $10 On behalf of Habitat for Humanity
- Text the word “Give” to 25383 to donate $10 On behalf of the MTV telethon
- Text the word “AJWS” to 25383 to donate $10 On behalf of the American Jewish World Service
In Canada:
- Text the word “Haiti” to 30333 to donate $5 on behalf of the Plan Canada
- Text the word “Hope” or “Monde” to 45678 to donate $5 on behalf of World Vision Canada
- Text the word “CAHAITI” to 20222 (In Canada only) to donate $5 on behalf of the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative
I am bother by some kind of apps that were designed to power non-emergency transactions such as text voting and app downloads, usually have a long settlement period, requiring an operator to bill a customer, collect payment and then pay an SMS aggregator, which then distributes the funds–a process that can take more than a month. thanks for the info..by the way