Mobile giving to Haitian relief organizations continues to rise at unprecedented numbers. According to the latest figures from Mobile Giving Foundation, the combined total of texted donations to Haitian relief and rescue operations has topped $7 million over the last 48 hours.
Previous mobile giving efforts aimed at large-scale disasters have fallen well short of that number. According to a spokesman from Verizon Wireless, the previous two biggest mobile giving days amounted to $400,000, the total collected in August 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for Red Cross relief efforts, and $200,000, the total collected in December 2004 for tsunami relief efforts coordinated by CARE.
Part of the success of these most recent mobile giving campaigns has been not only the high adoption rates for texting, but also a number of charitable organizations that have recognized the channel's effectiveness and implemented their own short code donation programs.
Jim Manis, CEO of Mobile Giving Foundation, said the amazing response to Haiti is due to a number of factors.
"I think you have such tragic disaster, and people are generous and people want to help, and it's a very personal way to respond. There's a very personal nature that's tied in with the cell phone. It's a very intimate way to respond to a situation like the one in Haiti," Manis said.
But he also said that a lot of hard work over the years since Katrina has paid off. Manis said that the company has created an infrastructure that is now paying big dividends.
"Consumers now have choice and that makes a difference," he said.
A list of active short codes at the Mobile Giving Foundation's Web site includes the Yele Haiti Foundation, the Clinton Foundation Haiti Relief Fund, The International Medical Corp, the Internal Rescue Committee and the American Red Cross.
When asked how fast the money is being distributed by the carriers once the donations have been made, Manis admits that there's still a few loose ends in that department. However, he noted that the carriers have been incredibly cooperative and are doing everything they can to ensure that the funds are distributed as effectively as possible.
"Everyone realizes that this is not business as usual," Manis said.
According to Manis, the organizations that are receiving the aid are able to plan by the real-time accounting that Mobile Foundation and the carriers provide. He said the key to success is being able to plan around available funds.