The Western Union Foundation today announced that it gave more than $2.7 million to 63 charitable organizations in 21 countries during the first six months of 2012. The grants advance the Western Union Foundation’s key giving priorities, with the overall goal of creating economic opportunity around the world, or providing relief in the face of natural disasters. 

Western Union employees played an instrumental role in identifying the non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that received Foundation support. Employees who volunteer with the organizations and who participate in the Foundation’s partnership with the innovative Ashoka Executive-in-Residence program recommended half of the non-profits that received funding.

“Around the world, Western Union employees unselfishly spend time making a difference in their communities. They do it as individuals, with their families, and as work groups because they are motivated to make the world a better place,” said Luella Chavez D’Angelo, senior vice president, Western Union Social Ventures and president, Western Union Foundation. “Their commitment and first-hand knowledge of the communities we serve, allows us to identify and fund extraordinary organizations that are helping people better their lives.”

Engaged Employees Influence Grant Giving

Since 2010, several of the company’s senior leaders have been selected each year to participate in the Western Union Ashoka Executive-in-Residence program. This skills-based volunteering and leadership-training program gives company executives an opportunity to drive meaningful social change by sharing their skills and talents while working full-time, on-site for two weeks with a partner NGO. The Western Union Foundation contributed $10,000 grants each to several organizations, including the following, which benefited from the expertise provided by Western Union executives in 2011:

Projecto Quixote in Brazil rehabilitates drug addicted and exposed adolescents, helping them develop skills to transition back into the mainstream as financially independent and contributing members of their communities.

Comitê para a Democratização da Informática in Brazil works to transform lives and strengthen communities by empowering people through information and communication technology.

Drishtee Foundation in India facilitates Financial Inclusion through Rural Entrepreneurs. The project links entrepreneurs, banks that provide critical funding, and technology companies that offer necessary technical support. It also provides financial literacy assistance and technical training.

Going to School Trust in India invests in young, aspiring entrepreneurs who are living in poverty. The NGO works with them to pioneer enterprises that solve problems where they live, generate income and create jobs.

Employees Gather to Support Causes

Western Union encourages employee volunteerism at all levels by offering paid time off for volunteering, and matching employee volunteer hours with cash donations. During June and July, teams of employees around the world stepped out of their offices and into their communities as part of a global volunteer campaign, Volunteering for Better. As a direct result of employee involvement, grants were given to programs in Lithuania and the Asia Pacific region, including:  

Children Support Centre in Lithuania provides educational support through volunteer mentoring, along with multidisciplinary psychological and social support for children and their families.

Give2Asia is a unique initiative which Western Union is leveraging as a channel for engaging employees with NGOs. Employees throughout the Asia Pacific region are given a direct voice in selecting organizations that will receive grants. Four NGOs receiving donations include: HOPE Worldwide in Hong Kong; Assist in India; Balete Farm School in the Philippines and the Junctions Work in Australia.

Western Union employees not only demonstrate exceptional levels of engagement by volunteering in their communities, they also support the work of the Western Union Foundation through their generous donations. Each year, the Foundation conducts an annual giving campaign and employees answer the call for support with a resounding yes. In 2011, nearly 60 percent of the company’s 8,000 employees contributed to the Western Union Foundation – a figure that exceeds most corporate giving campaigns in the U.S.

About The Western Union Foundation

The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for all. With the support of the Western Union Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners, the Western Union Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future. Our combined social ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and communities around the world. Since its inception, the Western Union Foundation has awarded more than $81.7 million in grants to more than 2,551 nongovernmental organizations in more than 124 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.

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. As of June 30, 2012, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately 510,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In 2011, The Western Union Company completed 226 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $81 billion of principal between consumers, and 425 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

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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