Haiti text message charity fundraising sets record

15/01/10

Charity fundraising for victims of the earthquake in Haiti using mobile technology has set a new record, it has been reported.

According to the American Red Cross, the organisation's first time using technology to improve its charity fundraising for a disaster appeal has yielded its largest sums yet, the Baltimore Sun reports.

The charity notes that within 31 hours of launching its text message charity appeal on Wednesday (January 13th) it had raised in excess of $3 million (£1.84 million), a third of the total amount pledged to the organisation by American donors.

American Red Cross spokeswoman Carrie Housman stated that use of modern technologies and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter allowed the appeal to gather momentum quickly.

'It's definitely the biggest mobile giving amount we've seen in the United States. This is our first time using it for an international disaster and it's been tremendously successful,' Ms Housman said.

The news could interest charity workers looking to improve their organisation's third sector fundraising potential.

The American Red Cross will spend the $10 million it has raised so far on providing water, shelter, medical supplies and support for the three million Haitians affected  by the seven-magnitude quake.

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