Dial-A-Charity
published: Saturday | May 27, 2006

Joseph Cunningham, Gleaner Reporter

VOLUNTEERING WITH your phone credit is the latest initiative by Digicel. This through the Digicel Foundation's Dial-A-Charity.

Cellular phones are popular especially because it facilitates talk. However, through Digicel's Dial-A-Charity, Jamaicans at home and overseas can donate money to their favourite non-profit organisation.

"By texting 444-2484, along with the code number corresponding to the charity of choice, $20 is donated," explained Wayne Miller, marketing communications manager at the foundation.

Mr. Miller added that the total number of votes (text) each charity receives is multiplied by the total sum of money donated to each charity.

Further, through the Dial-A-Charity project, Jamaicans will be able to vote for the top five of the 14 charities selected from each parish. These top five charities will each receive an additional $500,000.

Digicel launched the benevolent project in an effort to solicit funds for needy organisations across the island.

One such organisation is the Westmoreland Association of Street People (WASP). The organisation's main objectives include the provision of food, clothing and permanent shelter for mentally ill street people of the parish, to rehabilitate and reunite clients with family and community members and provide vocational training and occupational therapy.

WASP administrator Barbara Stewart is happy with the effects of Digicel's Dial-A-Charity.

"It has helped to create greater awareness of WASP in the community, and, now more persons are volunteering to work and assist the programme," Ms. Stewart said.

The Cornerstone Ministry- 'Giving Former Inmates and Wayward Youth a Brighter Future', gives inmates and former inmates of Jamaican correctional institutions an opportunity at rehabilitation or learning skills through vocational training.

Faith Rowe, Programme Assistant at Cornerstone Ministries, said the programme has been pressed to find funds to feed students and to cover other expenses. She added that Digicel's charity will go a long way towards assisting the programme to fulfil its purpose.

HOW TO VOTE FOR YOUR CHARITY

Name of Charity Code

Cornerstone Ministries, Kingston 1

Jamaica Red Cross, St. Andrew 2

Good Shepherds Foundation, St. James 3

3D Projects, St. Catherine 4

WASP, Westmoreland 5

Clarendon Group for the Disabled, Clarendon 6

BREDS-Treasure Beach Foundation, St.Elizabeth 7

Windsor Girls Home, St. Ann 8

Salvation Army-Morant Bay Corps 9

Trelawny Association of Voluntary Organisations, Trelawny 10

St. John Bosco Boys Home, Manchester 11

Friends of the Port Maria Hospital, St. Mary 12

Salvation Army- Port Antonio Corps, Portland 13

West Haven Children's Home, Hanover 14

If you have news to volunteer then please contact Ross Sheil at Volunteer Today. Telephone: 932-6243; Fax: 922-6223 or Email: ross.sheil@gleanerjm.com.