Verizon Wireless is enabling its customers across the United States to join in the relief efforts by donating money to the American Red Cross, one of the leading agencies offering help to victims and survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

To participate, customers can send a message to the address 2HELP or 24357 using the key word "help." They will receive a reply message asking them to confirm a donation to the American Red Cross of $5.00 (five dollars). To do so, customers will press "Y" on their keypad, and send that message. Customers wishing to donate more than once can send up to four additional text messages to 2HELP, for a total contribution of $25.00. Beginning today and through Oct. 31, 2005, Verizon Wireless post-pay customers with phones capable of text messaging can use those phones to donate to the American Red Cross.

The donations will appear on the customer's next monthly bill, and the entire amount of each donation will be provided to the American Red Cross to be used for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Standard text messaging rates apply, and will be donated by Verizon Wireless to the American Red Cross when the program is completed.

"We're at the beginning of what will be a massive recovery effort for Hurricane Katrina," said Kathleen Loehr, Vice President of Strategic Fundraising for the American Red Cross. "There is a tremendous amount of work to be done, and we appreciate the support of Verizon Wireless and especially its customers through this text messaging program." Donations to the American Red Cross under this program are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

M-Qube is providing support to Verizon Wireless for this giving program. M-Qube enables world class companies to build a mobile channel by providing a single interface for connectivity, content management expertise, application development, monitoring, billing and cross carrier transport.