Cellular South uses Website to Help Provide Relief to Victims of Recent Mississippi Tornadoes and Tennessee Floods
Wireless Carrier Working to Promote Customer Donations and Local Volunteer Assistance
Ridgeland, MS (May 14, 2010) - Cellular South, the nation's largest privately owned wireless communications provider, is using the power of the Internet to encourage its customers to provide financial and volunteer help for Mississippi tornado victims and residents and businesses who suffered through the recent record flooding in the state of Tennessee.
In response to Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour's call for help for victims of the recent rash of killer tornadoes that swept through the state during the last two weeks and to help flooding victims in Tennessee, Cellular South activated a special section of its website this week giving customers easy one-button access to donate money and volunteer time to relief efforts.
The website section on the company's main landing page – www.cellularsouth.com - gives customers one-click access to make donations online or by mail through the non-profit charitable Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund (www.mississippirelief.com) and to volunteer opportunities available through the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service (www.mcvs.org).
Barbour said the Recovery Fund's goal is to "help meet the needs of communtiies that cannot be met by the government. After learning about the devastation from friends, family members and the meda, people want to help in any way they can. The recovery fund gives them that chance."
The Recovery Fund will be managed by a board comprised of individuals and businesses from the tornado-impacted areas. Board members will determine the distribution of funds to best address any unmet recovery needs.
The one-click link to donate or volunteer to support relief efforts for Tennessee flooding victims is through the Middle Tennessee chapters of the American Red Cross, which are serving one of the hardest hit areas in the state from the recent flooding. Since the flooding began, the Red Cross has opened more than 25 emergency shelters serving more than 5,000 flood victims, served 94,000 meals and snacks, provided nearly 3,000 mental health consultations, distributed more than 6,000 comfort kits and 14,000 clean up kits through 62 emergency response teams.
The devasting tornadoes that raced through Mississippi on consecutive weekends in late April and early May killed 16 people, injured nearly 200 more and either destroyed or seriously damaged more than 1,200 homes and businesses, resulting in damages in excess of $80 million. In Tennessee, torrential rains caused unprecedented flooding April 30-May 2 in middle and western parts of the state, resulting in the deaths of 14 people and destruction or damage of thousands of homes and businesses with losses estimated at $1.56 billion in Nashville alone.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to families, businesses and indivduals who have lost loved ones, homes and belongings from the recent tornadoes and floods in Missisisppi and Tennessee," said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer of Cellular South. "Our state is known for its generosity and we need to help these individuals and families in any way we can through monetary donations and by volunteering to help with clean up and restoration efforts."
About Cellular South
Cellular South is a privately-owned diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The nation's largest privately owned wireless carrier accomplishes this goal by providing the most reliable and advanced 3G nationwide voice and data network, offering industry-leading family and unlimited flat rate voice, text and mobile web plans and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information, visit www.cellularsouth.com.
