Small Donations Make Big Impact through mGive: Mobile Phone Subscribers Pledge More than $24 million for Red Cross to Help Haitian Earthquake Victims

DENVER, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 2.5 million people have texted $10 pledges for Haitian relief to the American Red Cross in seven days, the largest number ever to take action for a mobile giving campaign. Mobile pledges now total about 25 percent of all Red Cross donations for Haiti. The response to the disaster in Haiti has underscored the effectiveness of the mobile phone as a force for social good worldwide.

"People are increasingly doing more than just talking on their mobile phones," said Mobile Accord Chairman James Eberhard. "Since it is one of the few items people always carry with them, the power of mobile giving is hard to overestimate."  

100 percent of the funds raised using Mobile Accord's mGive platform will go to the Red Cross to help those hit by this natural disaster. All wireless carriers partnering with mGive donate network and billing services and mGive waived monthly fees to the Red Cross. In addition, mGive is working with wireless carriers which have agreed to accelerate payments to the Red Cross.

"The devastation in Haiti motivated millions of Americans to make a difference in the lives of the earthquake victims," said Roger Lowe of the American Red Cross. "mGive's technology now makes it easy for people to respond to human suffering by simply pressing a few buttons on their mobile phone. Raising this amount of money -- $10 at a time – is a true testament to the compassion and generosity of the American people."  

During peak giving periods, the mGive platform processed more than $10,000 in text pledges per minute. The mGive platform, which allows users to easily give $10 to the Red Cross Haiti relief fund, has been the standard for mobile giving since 2008. Since that time, the mGive platform processed, reported, and audited all mobile donations in the US and is the platform of choice for high-volume campaigns like fundraising for the current crisis in Haiti.

For those who want to donate to the Red Cross effort in Haiti, a simple text message contributes $10 to the relief effort, billed to the donor's mobile bill. How to contribute:

• Text the word HAITI to 90999 to give $10.
• When prompted, reply with YES to confirm your one-time gift.
• The $10 one-time donation will appear on your next mobile bill
• Receipts can be printed at mGive.org/receipt

Mobile Accord's mGive service enables charities to collect donations and manage campaigns via mobile phones. Other charities which are raising funds for Haiti and are supported by the mGive platform include:

ACLJ – Text ACLJ to 90999 to give $10

Compassion International – Text DISASTER to 90999 to give $10

Family Health International – Text FHI to 90999 to give $5

FAMU – Text RELIEF to 50555 to give $5

Florida Hospital – Text MISSION to 90999 to give $5

Friends of the World Food Program – Text FRIENDS to 90999 to give $5

Leon H. Sullivan Foundation – Text SUMMIT to 90999 to give $%

Rotary Foundation – Text ROTARY to 90999 to give $5

United Nations Foundation – Text CERF to 90999 to give $5

United Way – Text HAITI to 864833 to give $5

Learn more: www.mGive.com

About mGive and Mobile Accord

Mobile Accord is the innovator and leader in mobile technology for nonprofit organizations, powering mobile donations in the United States.  Founded in 2005, Mobile Accord was the first company in the U.S. to offer mobile tools specifically built for nonprofit organizations.  Mobile Accord serves more than 200 leading U.S. philanthropic organizations and has raised more 95% of all funds raised via mobile giving.  The mGive Foundation is the charitable partner of Mobile Accord.  

SOURCE Mobile Accord