Western Union Responds to Turkey Earthquake
Company Offers “No Transfer Fee” to Turkey Earthquake Zone City of Van
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Oct 27, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –Western Union Donates $50,000 and Sets Up Account Benefiting The Turkish Red Crescent
To help the victims of the most powerful earthquake to strike Turkey in more than a decade, The Western Union Company WU -0.03% , a leader in global payment services, in cooperation with its Agents, has activated a limited-time “No Transfer Fee”* program for money-transfers sent to Turkey Earthquake Zone city of Van, from participating Western Union(R) Agent locations around the world.
The “No Transfer Fee”* program to Turkey Earthquake Zone city of Van will be available Thursday, October 27, 2011 through Friday, November 25, 2011 and is subject to network, service and currency availability. Consumers sending money to Turkey may visit participating Western Union(R) Agent locations to send a money transfer to family and friends in Turkey or may do so over the phone or online at www.westernunion.com .
The Western Union Foundation today also donated $50,000 to the Turkish Red Crescent in support of disaster relief efforts. The Western Union Foundation will match registered employee donations to the Foundation designated for the Turkish Red Crescent, on a two-to-one match for U.S. employees and three-to-one match for employees outside the U.S., up to $100,000 per employee.
“Western Union stands together with the people of my home country Turkey at this time of need,” said Hikmet Ersek, President and CEO, Western Union. “The earthquake has generated a number of challenges for consumers and businesses operating in Turkey and Western Union is working with its Agents toward restoring full service as quickly as possible to people in affected regions. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the people who died and wish all the best to those who are injured.”
Additionally, for individuals and corporations wishing to donate to disaster relief efforts in Turkey, the Western Union Foundation has set-up an account where payments can be sent globally in locations equipped with the Western Union Quick Pay(SM), Quick Collect(R), or Payments service (Blue Form) — with Pay To identified as: WESTERN UNION FOUNDATION, Code City identified as: WUFOUNDATION, and Account # identified as: TURKEY — benefiting the Turkish Red Crescent. Western Union will provide consumers who wish to contribute with a fee-free* payment contribution service directed to Turkish Red Crescent, up to $5,000 through November 30, 2011.
*Western Union may make money on the exchange of currencies.
About Western Union
The Western Union Company WU -0.03% 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(R) 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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SOURCE: Western Union
Western Union
Dan Diaz, +1-720-332-5564
daniel.diaz@westernunion.com
Copyright Business Wire 2011
via Western Union Responds to Turkey Earthquake – MarketWatch.