Contributions Go High Tech in 2010
One of the worst natural disasters in modern times struck the small island of Haiti at the beginning of 2010, and as people around the world come together to extend a helping hand many do it with a touch of their fingertips to a cell phone. That’s because modern telecommunications technology has made it easy and simple to donate to charity just by sending a text message. While this is new concept that has never before been used in such a widespread and urgent manner, it has taught us new lessons about how people can respond in emergencies faster thanks to new gadgets and technology.
Many people wanted to help the displaced and stricken residents of Haiti, for example, and were able to do it instantly by simply texting a short number code. A donation of, for example, $10 will be sent to help the effort in Haiti and then be added to their next phone bill. Others are sending similar texts from their phones – day and night and from all parts of the globe – in order to contribute to various charities like the International Red Cross. Phone companies are facilitating this kind of high-tech donation process by waiving the fees they normally charge customers for sending a text message, and they are also ramping up efforts to speed along the donations as quickly as possible and get the money to charities and relief agencies ASAP.
Carriers including Verizon, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and AT&T, for instance, said they will get the donations to the Red Cross within a week’s time – a remarkable accomplishment compared to comparatively slow fund drives and donation campaigns of the past, back when cell phone technology could not play this kind of important role.
Text giving was practiced in a limited way during the Katrina disaster a few years ago, and it raised about half a million dollars. But in just a few days – because of the widespread use of texting in today’s world – more than $27 million was donated in this unique manner.
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