Phone Companies Delaying Donations To Japan

[+EdwardGlen]

fyi;

 

As Japan struggles to overcome a disastrous string of events -- including a possible nuclear catastrophe -- millions of us have sought to help, often by donating money to urgent relief efforts.

 

But if you donate via text message, your donations may take up to 90 days to reach aid organizations that need the money as soon as possible.

 

Even though they're getting large amounts of free media attention for their text-to-donate programs, companies like AT&T and Verizon have chosen not to release the donation money right away. Many customers assume that they're sending funds straight to disaster zones in the crucial days after the earthquake, but donations are transferred after the end of your next billing cycle, a process that can take up to three months.

 

Masaya Uchino, a law student in San Francisco with family in Japan, started a petition on Change.org to demand that AT&T, Verizon, and other major phone service providers stop delaying much needed donations from reaching organizations doing relief work in Japan. Please add your name to the petition now:

 

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-delay-on-donations-to-japan-2?alert_id=QXeUWkuBQr_KmACASxlvZ&me=aa

 

After the earthquake in Haiti, Change.org members and others asked phone companies to provide donations immediately -- and the phone companies came through. But so far they've refused to take the same step, and it's up to us to join Masaya in speaking out.

 

Thanks for taking action,

 

- Weldon and the Change.org team

 

P.S. If you want to donate immediately to relief efforts, join the Change.org staff in contributing to one or more of these great organizations:

 

Oxfam America: http://chn.ge/hd3n4C

International Medical Corps: http://chn.ge/hhkQhT

Habitat for Humanity: http://chn.ge/e8OX7r

UN Foundation: http://chn.ge/hVZ5uu

American Red Cross: http://chn.ge/eWtkti

UNICEF: http://chn.ge/hDASyY

[bobandtorey]

they want to keep the money so that they can make more money not right

[knottwhole]

While the American Red Cross is asking for donations, The Japanese Red Cross is saying that monetary funds are not needed at this time. Much of the donations to the Red Cross for New Orleans never made it to those who needed it. It went into their coffers for so called future uses. Go look at what their CEOs make off of your generosity.

Donate locally to those who need it right here and now. Food banks, homeless shelters, and others who help our local people need everything they can get.

Give with your mind, not just your heart.

Thanks for the post EG.