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Western Union Initiates Range of Resources to Support Victims of Natural Disasters in Thailand and Central America

Foundation grants totalling $134,000, employee and Agent gift match, and consumer giving opportunities to aid those in need

Western Union Initiates Range of Resources to Support Victims of Natural Disasters in Thailand and Central America

Foundation grants totalling $134,000, employee and Agent gift match, and consumer giving opportunities to aid those in need

Published 11-15-11

Submitted by Western Union

In response to the devastating flooding in Thailand and Central America, the Western Union Company (NYSE:WU), today announced a coordinated effort to help meet the immediate needs of the people most affected by these growing natural disasters. The response package includes Western Union Foundation grants totaling US$134,000, "no transfer fee*" consumer giving from participating Western Union Agent locations worldwide, a text based option for consumers in the U.S. to donate, and dedicated employee and Agent giving programs with a corporate match. All donations and grants will be directed to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Direct Support Through Strategic Grantmaking
The Western Union Foundation will give an initial financial contribution of US$100,000 to IFRC, with US$50,000 going to Thailand and US$50,000 for Central American relief.

Western Union is actively encouraging its Agents to join together to support relief efforts. The company will match Agent contributions to the Western Union Foundation disaster relief fund dollar-for-dollar. In Central America, Western Union’s Master Agent, Airpak, has joined the initiative with a US$17,000 contribution, which will be matched with an additional US$17,000. When combined with the initial grant from the Western Union Foundation, US$84,000 will be donated to IFRC for emergency relief in Central America.

“Representatives of IFRC and its member National Societies have been on the ground working side by side with authorities to meet the most immediate and critical needs such as access to food, shelter and water,” said Luella Chavez D’Angelo, senior vice president of Western Union Social Ventures and president of the Western Union Foundation. “We are committed to helping the communities important to our customers, employees and business partners when they are faced with devastation.”

Mobilizing Consumer Giving
Western Union is enabling consumers to give to IFRC through participating Western Union® Agent locations around the world as part of a "no transfer fee*" program using the Western Union® Quick Collect®, Quick Pay(SM), or Payments Service. Consumers need to complete the blue form, using "WESTERN UNION FOUNDATION” as the Pay To recipient; “WUFOUNDATION” as the Code City; and either “THAILAND” or “CENTRALAMERICA” as the Account number. This consumer-giving option will be available through November 30, 2011.

Consumers in the United States may also use their mobile phones to make a US$10 contribution by texting “THAI” to 52000 for Thailand relief, or “FLOODS” to 52000 for Central American relief. Donations will go to IFRC. Donations will be charged to the consumer’s mobile phone bill.**

Motivating Employee Giving
To encourage and support the philanthropic activity of its employees, Western Union, through the Western Union Foundation, has created a special relief fund for IFRC. Western Union will match all employee donations to fund relief efforts in these regions and will be matched two-for-one for U.S. based employees, and three-for-one for all other company employees around the world.  Employees and others can give online at www.westernunionfoundation.org.

* Western Union makes money on the exchange of currencies.

**A one-time donation of US$10.00 will be added to the mobile phone bill of the donor or deducted from his/her prepaid balance. All charges are billed by and payable to the donor’s mobile service provider. All donations must be authorized by the account holder. Service is available on most carriers. Donations are collected for the benefit of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies by the Mobile Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.hmgf.org/t. Users can unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP to 52000 and text HELP to 52000 for help.

About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. The Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services are offered through a combined network of approximately 485,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In 2010, The Western Union Company completed 214 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $76 billion of principal between consumers, and 405 million business payments. 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 people through access to economic opportunity. Recognized by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy in 2009, the program is a five-year, $50 million commitment reflecting efforts made by Western Union employees, agents and partners around the world. Since its inception, the Western Union Foundation has awarded more than $73.8 million in grants to more than 2,030 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in 108 countries and territories. To learn more, visit westernunionfoundation.org.

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Western Union

Western Union

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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