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Western Union Helps Raise Over $1,265,000 to Support Earthquake Relief Efforts in Haiti

Western Union Helps Raise Over $1,265,000 to Support Earthquake Relief Efforts in Haiti

Published 10-04-10

Submitted by Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a leader in the money-transfer segment of global payments, today announced it has helped raise more than $1,265,000 in support of earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

Western Union, in cooperation with its Agents, has activated a "No Transfer Fee" program, for a limited time, for money transfers sent to Haiti from participating Agent locations in the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and select locations in France.1

The "No Transfer Fee" program, subject to network, service and currency availability, also is available through WesternUnion.com from the United States and Canada.

How Consumers Can Send Money to Haiti

Consumers sending money to Haiti may visit Western Union Agent locations to send a money-transfer to family and friends in Haiti or may do so online at www.WesternUnion.com.

For more information about Agent locations that are open and offering services in Haiti, consumers may visit www.WesternUnion.com or call in the:


  • U.S. 1 800 325-6000 (English and Spanish) or 1 877 984-1726 (Creole)

  • Canada 1 800 235-0000 (English and French) or 1 877 984-1726 (Creole)

  • Dominican Republic (1-809) 200-7380 (English and Spanish)

  • Jamaica (876) 926-2454

  • France 08 25 00 98 98.

Western Union and its Agents in Haiti continue to work around the clock to reopen additional Agent locations. The earthquake damages have generated a number of infrastructural challenges for businesses operating in the country, and Western Union continues to work toward restoring service as quickly as possible.

"The damages in Haiti and the need for support are immeasurable," said Luella Chavez D'Angelo, president The Western Union Foundation. "We will continue to look for ways to work with organizations providing disaster relief efforts in Haiti. Our thoughts are with those affected by this disaster."

Western Union Programs Supporting Haiti Disaster Relief Efforts Have Helped Raise $1,266,654.


  • Through its corporate signature program, Our World, Our Family®, The Western Union Company and The Western Union Foundation have donated $250,000 to help provide basic necessities such as food, safe drinking water, access to sanitation facilities, clothing and temporary shelter through Mercy Corps and Save the Children response teams actively working in Haiti. Additionally, The Western Union Foundation has matched employee and Agent donations for a total of $533,261.

    Collectively, Western Union has directly contributed $783,261 to support disaster relief efforts in Haiti.

  • Western Union, through its Foundation, also has activated its Agent Giving Circle, matching one-for-one Agent donations from the region and around the world. To date, Western Union Agents have donated $443,675.
  • Western Union employee donations to the Western Union Foundation Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund, matched two-to-one for U.S. based employees and three-to-one for international employees. To date, Western Union employees have donated $39,718.
  • Additionally, The Western Union Company has set up a special account in the U.S. "“ MERCYCORPS, OR "“ benefitting Mercy Corps in support of disaster relief efforts in Haiti. Consumers in the U.S. can donate by sending a no fee money transfer, using the Western Union Quick Collect service, directed to the Mercy Corps account, for up to $5,000 over the next 30 days, concluding February 11, 2010, by visiting a Western Union Agent location.

For a limited time, Western Union is not charging a transfer fee for remittances from selected locations in the U.S., Canada, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and France to Haiti. However, if there is a conversion of currency, the conversion may result in a foreign exchange gain, which is retained by Western Union and its Agents. Western Union pays out in US dollars in Haiti.

About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta and Pago Facil branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, as well as send payments and purchase money orders. Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta operate through a combined network of more than 400,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In 2008, The Western Union Company completed 188 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $74 billion of principal between consumers, and 412 million consumer-to-business transactions. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About The Western Union Foundation
Through Western Union's Our World, Our Family® signature program, the Western Union Foundation supports initiatives to empower individuals, families and communities through access to better education and economic opportunity. Recognized by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy in 2009, the program is a five year, $50 million commitment reflecting the efforts made by Western Union employees, Agents, and partners around the world. Since its inception, the Western Union Foundation has awarded over $57 million in grants and disaster relief to over 1,900 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in 100 countries. For more information, visit http://foundation.westernunion.com

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The Western Union Company, a leader in global payment services, believes access to financial services is a necessity. Western Union moves money reliably and quickly to almost every country - and we do it for extraordinary people seeking a better life and for businesses that generate jobs and opportunity.

Our business changes lives for the better. So does the Western Union Foundation: since 2001, the Western Union Foundation has awarded more than $101.1 million in grants to more than 2,730 nongovernmental organizations in more than 135 countries and territories..

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