The Western Union Company today announced a multi-faceted response involving Western Union employees, individuals, Agents, business customers and other business partners to provide support for families and communities most affected by earthquakes in Ecuador and Japan.

The Western Union Foundation is committing an initial US$75,000 (US$50,000 to Ecuador and US$ 25,000 to Japan) to support the relief efforts through discretionary and matching grants.

The Western Union Foundation will provide a dollar-for-dollar match of qualifying contributions from Western Union Agents, business customers and other business partners to NGOs providing disaster relief support in the impacted region. The Western Union Foundation will match employee donations 2:1 to NGOs providing disaster relief.

Japan Relief Support
The Western Union Foundation will contribute funding to International Medical Corps to provide sanitary and hygiene supplies and other urgently-needed items for men, women and children displaced from their homes and living in evacuation centers.

Ecuador Relief Support
The Western Union Foundation will contribute funding to the Ecuadorian Red Cross (through the  International Federation of Red Cross), which is currently prioritizing efforts to provide medical treatment, shelter, food and water, and hygiene supplies.

Western Union Foundation Chairman, John Dye, added, “Our hearts are with those affected by the earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador. The Western Union Foundation and Western Union employees are responding with support for relief efforts, helping address the most critical needs and help begin the long-term recovery process.”

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 December 31, 2015, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000 ATMs and kiosks, and included the capability to send money to over a billion accounts. In 2015, The Western Union Company completed 262 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $82 billion of principal between consumers, and 508 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

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.  Through its signature program, Education for Better, and 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 paid more than $106 million in grants and other giving.  These funds have been pledged to more than 2,794 nongovernmental organizations in more than 137 countries and territories. The Western Union Foundation, is a separate §501(c)(3) recognized United States charity.  To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org, or Follow us on Twitter @TheWUFoundation.

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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