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Savvy Cell Users Send Millions in Text Donations to Help Haiti

by Amar Toor on January 15, 2010 at 10:10 AM

Despite the reported rash of text-to-donate scams that have surfaced in recent days, it appears that people are still using text messages to give money to relief efforts in Haiti -- and doing it in droves. According to LiveScience, Americans have so far donated millions of dollars to relief organizations via text message, marking the first time that SMS-facilitated donations have been used so widely. Text donations have been employed in past humanitarian crises, but not as successfully. Following the havoc wreaked by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008, the Red Cross received a relatively scant $190,000 in SMS aid. Now, it alone has already raised $3 million in $10-per-text increments, something that social media manager Wendy Harman says "has shattered anything that we have done before in the mobile giving space."

Many speculate that the newfound appeal of text donations derives primarily from the convenience that the medium offers -- for donators and charitable organizations alike. Users simply text a code word to a specified number, press send, and let the $10 or $5 donation be charged directly to their phone bill, without having to even reveal any credit card information. Relief groups, meanwhile, are guaranteed to receive the donation in full, with only a small monthly cost to the Application Service Providers who market the campaign.


More importantly, it broadens the donator demographic, especially among younger, tech savvy, Twitter capable and text-happy mobile users. Since mobile phones have roughly 280 million American users, it's now undoubtedly the most efficient way to solicit urgently needed financial assistance.

There will still be scams out there, of course, so if you're considering giving, do so with caution. But seeing how much has already been donated via text (and how those volumes have soared in the space of just a year) suggests that, regardless of the deceptive pitfalls that may exist, Americans are savvy enough to donate wisely -- and make a sorely-needed difference. [From: LiveScience]

Tags: earthquake, haiti, haiti earthquake, HaitiEarthquake, hands-on, red, relief, relief groups, ReliefGroups, top

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