Just as with previous natural disasters, agencies helping out with relief and recovery in Japan are increasingly relying on SMS to raise emergency funds for their efforts. The Red Cross and several other nonprofits have set up Japan Tsunami relief short codes through the mGive Foundation and the Mobile Giving Foundation. Meanwhile, many operators have begun lifting text message fees to linked to charitable giving short codes, and some have waived long-distance calling and international messaging fees to and from Japan.
SMS became a powerful tool for raising emergency relief funds after the Haiti earthquake in early 2010, raising more than $25 million in donations in less than a week (CP: Haiti mobile giving may spark surge in SMS contributions). While SMS shortcodes for charity had been around for some time, the Haiti disaster cemented the concept in the American psyche.
At the time Mobile Giving CEO Jim Manis said the MGF received more donations in a three day period than it had in its entire history.
Since then, relief agencies have begun tapping into SMS as a new channel—making use of its immediacy as a quick way to raise funds during emergencies—and have gradually increased suggested donations from $5 to $10. A survey conducted by mGive also found that SMS didn’t cannibalize other sources of donations to particular charities, assuaging any concerns that charities were trading off a larger contribution for a one-off $5 or $10 gift (CP: SMS doesn’t cannibalize more traditional giving).
The following organizations are accepting donations directly through SMS. All short codes will authorize a $10 charge on the wireless bill after confirmation.
- ADRA Relief: text SUPPORT to 85944
- American Red Cross Relief: text REDCROSS to 90999
- Convoy of Hope: text TSUNAMI or SUNAMI to 50555
- GlobalGiving: text JAPAN to 50555
- International Medical Corps: text MED to 80888
- Mercy Corps: text MERCY to 25383
- Salvation Army: text JAPAN to 80888
- Save the Children Federation, Inc.: text JAPAN or TSUNAMI to 20222
- World Relief Corp. of National Association of Evangelicals: text WAVE to 50555
- World Vision, Inc.: text 4JAPAN or 4TSUNAMI to 20222
Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile as well as several smaller operators have waived SMS fees when donating via text messages. AT&T and Verizon are also waiving all long-distance charges for calls, SMS and MMS messages to Japan through the end of the month in the case of AT&T and through April 10 for VZW.