NEW YORK, NY — To further help its customers contact loved ones in Haiti, Verizon and Verizon Wireless will extend for two more weeks the waiver of all long-distance usage charges for calls to Haiti from the company’s residential landline and wireless phones.
“It’s been almost three weeks since the devastating earthquake, and we know that many people still haven’t had the chance to speak with their loved ones yet because much work still remains to be done to restore the communications system in Haiti,” said Susan Retta, vice president of consumer products for Verizon. “As a result, we’ve decided to continue to waive long-distance calls to Haiti to help connect our customers here with their families and friends there.”
The extension of the waiver of charges, through Feb.14, is the latest step Verizon has taken to provide help to the victims of the earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12 – and their friends and loved one in the U.S.
Previously, Verizon announced that all calls made from a Verizon residential landline or Verizon Wireless phone to Haiti will be rated at $0.00 per minute,* from Jan 12 through Jan 31. The waiver will now be in effect for two more weeks. Credit will be provided in future bill statements for long-distance charges for calls to Haiti that were made since Jan. 12.**
Last week, Verizon waived all Verizon Prepaid Phone Card charges for all long-distance calls placed from the U.S. to Haiti, through Feb. 14. When a customer uses a Verizon Prepaid Phone Card to call Haiti, no minutes will be taken off the card, regardless of when it was purchased. Verizon Prepaid Phone Cards can be obtained at many retail locations across the U.S.
Additionally, customers with the Verizon International Single Rate plan who have either 300 or 500 minutes of long-distance calling can call Haiti without using any minutes from their time-allotment blocks.
Verizon Helping Haiti
Verizon Wireless customers can aid American Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti by texting “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 from their personal phones. Verizon Wireless is waiving the text-messaging fees, and 100 percent of each $10 donation goes to the Red Cross. The $10 donations will appear in customers’ next regular monthly bill.
At the end of last week, close to 1 million Verizon Wireless customers had used text messaging to make a donation to the American Red Cross, over $9 million has been contributed to the aid organization since the crisis began.
In addition, the Verizon Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, and Verizon employees have pledged more than $1.1 million in donations to support earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti.
Of the more than $1.1 million, $1 million has been raised through the Verizon employee disaster-relief matching-gift program. Under the program, the Verizon Foundation matches employee donations dollar for dollar, up to $1,000 per employee, to two nonprofit organizations, World Vision and Food for the Poor that are providing aid in Haiti.
In addition, the Verizon Foundation has awarded grants of $50,000 each to World Vision and Food for the Poor.
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