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Verizon Wireless Advances $2.98 Million in Donations
from Its Customers to Red Cross
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 15, 2010 - Verizon Wireless today transmitted $2,987,560 to the American Red Cross, representing dollars pledged by texting customers to the Red Cross relief effort for Haiti. This represents donations made by Verizon Wireless customers for the first two days of the campaign from 12:01 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 13 through 2 p.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 15.
As the outpouring of support continues from wireless users texting HAITI to 90999, the company said it would continue to advance funds pledged by Verizon Wireless customers and provide dollars to the Red Cross outside normal operation procedures.
In a statement, Verizon Wireless president and CEO Lowell McAdam said, "President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have challenged the American people to donate to the Red Cross relief effort, and companies like Verizon need to step up to the plate. Time is of the essence, and it makes sense for us to toss aside our normal financial processes to get money where it can do the most good, in the fastest way possible."
In a phone interview with St. Louis Front Page, Brenda Hill, spokesperson for the Verizon Wireless Kansas/Missouri Region, said that the giving by mobile was pretty amazing. "I found out about this effort as a result of a question from a customer in Columbia, MO. We are also getting a lot of pickup on Twitter and the other social networking sites that are spreading the word about this. This is the largest mobile giving that has happened in such a short time," said Hill.
In less than three days since the earthquake devastated Haiti, more than 300,000 Verizon Wireless customers have texted HAITI to 90999, nearing $3 million in donations to the Red Cross relief effort. From the start of the campaign, as of 2 p.m. EST on Friday, the customers of all U.S. wireless companies had pledged more than $9 million to this one relief fund.
Hundreds of American charities have registered text messaging short-codes, whereby consumers can text donations. The mobile giving process can take between 60 and 90 days from the time a wireless user texts a donation and when a charity receives the donation. Verizon Wireless' action today bypasses the normal process used to get donations paid to charities, which helps to ensure that the payments are complete and accurate. Donations will get to the Red Cross quickly, given the humanitarian crisis at hand. To ensure fiscal accountability and responsibility, these operational processes will remain in place for all mobile giving efforts, with the exception of the Red Cross' HAITI on 90999 effort.
The company noted the work of valued and trusted partners in implementing mobile giving, all of which agreed to bend rules and bypass regular procedures to move the money to the Red Cross quickly: Mobile Messenger, mGive Foundation and Mobile Accord. CEO McAdam singled out The Mobile Giving Foundation and its founder Jim Manis for support of the effort. "Jim Manis is a visionary who has fought to unharness the incredible power of mobile technology with our better instincts. Though many deserve credit for the success of this effort to help in the Haiti relief, it all started with Jim's vision."
American Red Cross Pledges Initial $1 Million to Haiti Relief
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 13, 2010 - The American Red Cross is sending money, supplies and staff to Haiti to support relief efforts there after the earthquake on January 12, which caused catastrophic damage and loss of life.
According to reports, as many as three million people may have been affected by the quake, which collapsed government buildings and caused major damage to hospitals in the area.
The Red Cross is contributing an initial $1 million from the International Response Fund to support the relief operation, and has opened its warehouse in Panama to provide tarps, mosquito nets and cooking sets for approximately 5,000 families.
In addition to Red Cross staff already in Haiti, six disaster management specialists are being deployed to the disaster zone to help coordinate relief efforts. At this time, the American Red Cross is only deploying volunteers specially trained to manage international emergency operations.
There has been an outpouring of support from the public. To help, St. Louisans can make an unrestricted donation to the International Response Fund at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). The public can also help by texting "Haiti" to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross, through an effort backed by the U.S. State Department. Funds will go to support American Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.
Debris and collapsed bridges are making access to many areas extremely difficult. Telephone service and electricity are out in many places. Haitian Red Cross staff worked throughout the night to rescue people still trapped in their homes and provide first aid. The priority remains to provide food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support.
The American Red Cross already had fifteen staff in Haiti providing ongoing HIV/AIDS prevention and disaster preparedness programs. All are reported to be safe and responding to the disaster.
To date, there have been no requests for blood products from the government of Haiti. However, some patients at an affected facility in Haiti have been moved to a Guantanamo Bay hospital, and the Armed Services Blood Program has asked both the Red Cross and Florida Blood Services for support for those patients. In addition, the American Red Cross will be sending a shipment of blood products to the United Nations Mission in Haiti.
While communication with those in Haiti is still difficult, people should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747 if trying to reach a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Haiti. If trying to reach a Haitian citizen, callers should continue to call or contact other family members who live nearby.
JANUARY 9, 2010 - Large chunks of ice floated down the Mississippi River in front of the Gateway Arch, Saturday afternoon, while north of St. Louis, the river town of Grafton, Illinois experienced minor flooding as the result of an ice jam.
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Ice Jams on Mississippi River North of St. Louis Cause Minor Flooding
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 10, 2010 - The National Weather Service issued a flood warning, Saturday, January 9, as the result of an ice jam at Grafton, Illinois. Due to erratic and unpredictable nature of ice jams, the Mississippi River is expected to fluctuate greatly until the jam breaks apart.
Minor flooding is expected at Grafton in the next few days. Motorists are warned not to drive through flooded areas. This warning applies to cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles.
The Brussels Ferry at Grafton remains closed due to ice on the river.
Auto Service Contracts Lead Consumer Complaints in 2009
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 10, 2010 - Attorney General Chris Koster released the top 10 consumer complaints and scams reported to his office in 2009. Complaints about businesses that market products as "extended auto warranties" led the complaints, with nearly 1,000 calls to the Attorney General's office from consumers.
"Unfortunately, Missouri has become the Silicon Valley for auto service contract scams," Koster said. "These bait-and-switch schemes thrived by fooling consumers into thinking they were buying true extended warranties for their vehicles. In reality, consumers were getting little, if any, coverage for their money."
The Attorney General has filed suit against 10 of these service contract businesses since November.
Koster noted that the number two scam, mortgage modifications, also included vast promises with no real delivery of services. In April, Koster declared "zero tolerance" against businesses that promise to help consumers decrease their mortgage payments or even prevent foreclosure, but do little or nothing to help them. The Attorney General has filed suit against eight such businesses since April.
Below are the top ten scams reported to the hotline in 2009:
1. Service Contracts
2. Mortgage Modifications
3. Credit Repair/Debt Settlement and Consolidation
4. Work-at-Home Scams
5. Acai Berry "Free" Trial Offers
6. Mystery Shopper
7. Card Services Phishing Scam
8. Telephone Cramming
9. Fake Checks
10. Grandparent scam
The Attorney General's office encourages consumers to file complaints with its Consumer Protection Hotline so the office can help mediate a complaint, investigate scams, and take legal action against businesses if necessary. Consumers can register complaints with the hotline at 800-392-8222 or online at ago.mo.gov.
Airport Screening Deemed Insufficient by Large Segment of Travelers
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 10, 2010 - Nearly half of American leisure travelers feel that airport passenger screening techniques are inadequate.
In the national State of the American Traveler survey conducted this week by Destination Analysts, 47 percent of American leisure travelers reported they either "Agreed" or "Strongly agreed" that airport screening techniques were not sufficient. Only one-in-five travelers believe that passenger screening is adequate.
Travelers are also seven times more likely to prefer full-body scanning technology versus pat downs at security checkpoints. In a follow-up question, Destination Analysts discovered that the majority (57%) of travelers are either "Comfortable" or "Extremely comfortable" with the use of such technologies--with only about 16 percent being "Uncomfortable" or "Extremely uncomfortable" with full-body scans.
Other notable early findings of the study include Americans' expectations for their future travel and spending appears to be on the mend. 33 percent expect to increase the number of leisure trips they will take in the coming year, up from 28 percent last July. Meanwhile, only 14 percent of American leisure travelers expect to cut back on their travel, compared with 20 percent last July. Similar improvements were seen in expectations for spending on leisure travel, with both areas approaching 2008 pre-recession levels.
"We expect to see modest increases in domestic leisure travel and spending in the upcoming year," says Erin Francis-Cummings, Managing Partner of Destination Analysts. "Despite economic pressures and security threats and uncertainty, Americans are more upbeat about their travel prospects than they were six months ago."
St. Louis Recognized as One of the Top Frugal Cities
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 8, 2010 - The Georgia state capital tops the list of Most Frugal U.S. Cities, according to the 2009 Savings Index just released by Coupons.com. The average user in Atlanta saved over $531 using coupons from the site in 2009. Tampa, Florida follows closely in the number two position.
"The top couponing cities reveal the tremendous savings potential coupons offer nowadays," said Jeanette Pavini, Coupons.com Household Savings Expert. "By spending just minutes each week printing online coupons, anyone can really cut back on their household expenses. I don't need to tell people in Atlanta and Tampa that coupons are essentially found money."
Cities in the Midwest and South account for almost one-half of this year's top couponing locales. Ohio alone is represented three times - Cincinnati (#3), Cleveland (#8) and Columbus (#20) - making it the country's most frugal state. St. Louis (#4), Minneapolis (#5), Kansas City (#10), Indianapolis (#16) and Wichita, Kansas (#19) also add to the Midwest contingent.
The South's strength in couponing is reflected in the fact that more than one-third of the top 20 couponing cities are in the Southern region of the United States. In addition to Atlanta and Tampa, other Southland cities on the list are: Nashville (#6), Charlotte, North Carolina (#7), Raleigh, North Carolina (#11), Oklahoma City (#13), Miami (#14) and Dallas (#18).
Pittsburgh, coming in ninth, is the top-ranking Northeastern city in the Index. That city along with Boston (#12) and Washington, DC (#15) make up the Northeast's only representation.
Just one Western city made this year's top 20 list, according to the Coupons.com Savings Index: Denver, ranking number 17.
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