On Feb. 14, Western Union and the Western Union Foundation announced a USD $1M global matching challenge to help fight COVID-19 worldwide. The combined Western Union and Western Union Foundation match will be up to USD $500,000, and will go toward supplies, equipment and frontline medical aid.
The Western Union Foundation welcomes contributions from Western Union employees, Agents, customers, and the public around the globe, between now and April 14, 2020. The aid will be pledged to local and global NGOs, including Give2Asia and International Medical Corpsi for ongoing relief throughout the world.
“Western Union is a global company and we support our customers, employees and communities in times of need. The time is now for the global community to come together in support of communities affected by COVID-19,” said Western Union CEO Hikmet Ersek. “Being a responsible global company means not just serving and benefiting from an interconnected world but taking steps to care for vulnerable communities in dire times. We encourage everyone across the world including our employees, Agents and customers and partners, to step up and show their support.”
Donations towards the $1M challenge can be made via:
- Public donation appeal via the Western Union Foundation Donation Platform
- In the U.S., donations made through the Western Union mobile app between March 1 – April 14
- Company donations can be coordinated via wufoundation@wu.com
In addition to offering money for on-the-ground efforts to prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19, Western Union and the Western Union Foundation have launched a worldwide campaign to drive awareness.
“We are committed to helping our partner organizations fight this virus in whatever ways are most appropriate in their localities,” said Elizabeth Roscoe, Western Union Foundation Executive Director and Western Union Head of Corporate Brand & Purpose. “We understand the importance of doing our small part to bring the global community together to combat this infectious disease which can endanger everyone equally, without regard for boundaries of geography, ethnicity or social class.”
For additional information, please visit the Western Union COVID-19 Resource Center.
