The Western Union Foundation today announced support for disaster relief efforts that will help the families and communities impacted by the tornado in Oklahoma.

The Western Union Foundation is an American Red Cross disaster-response partner. The Foundation’s funding is supporting Red Cross immediate response activities in the wake of the disaster, which includes providing shelter, meals and mental health triage for people impacted by the storm, as well as first responders.

To encourage and support employee generosity, Western Union will two-for-one match all employee donations to the Western Union Foundation for Oklahoma tornado disaster-relief efforts. Each employee can donate up to US$25,000 per calendar year.

Western Union is also encouraging its Agents to join together in supporting relief efforts. Under the Western Union Foundation Agent Gift Match program, the Foundation will provide a dollar-for-dollar match of qualifying Agent contributions to NGOs providing disaster relief support in the impacted region.

Employees and consumers can give online by using the “Donate Now” button at www.westernunionfoundation.org. Consumers should select the Oklahoma Tornado Relief option.

Additionally, the Western Union Company has set up a no-fee* Payments contribution account benefitting the American Red Cross. Donors can contribute to relief efforts by making a no-fee* Payments transaction at participating Western Union® Agent locations, directed to the account, up to USD$5,000.

Donors will need to complete the Western Union blue Payments or Quick Pay form, using the company name “American Red Cross” or the code city, “REDCROSS DC.” Please write in, “Tornado Relief” as the account number.

"The tornado in Oklahoma has caused significant damage and loss of life, and we are responding with support and services to assist the relief efforts,” said Western Union Foundation President, Patrick Gaston. “Funds collected through Western Union will help the American Red Cross assist with critical initiatives such as providing food, water and shelter to the families and children most affected by the tornado.”

“We are committed to helping the communities we serve, and our thoughts are with the people of Oklahoma during this time of need. Over the coming weeks we will be working with Western Union Agents, employees and nonprofit partners to help the area recover and rebuild,” concluded Gaston.

*Western Union makes money on the exchange of currencies.

About The Western Union Foundation

The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for all. With the support of The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future. Our combined social ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and communities around the world. Since its inception, The Western Union Foundation has committed more than $86.9 million in grants and other giving to more than 2,627 nongovernmental organizations in more than 130 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately 515,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and approximately 100,000 ATMs. In 2012, The Western Union Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

AMSTERDAM -- The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU), a leader in global payment services and Global Partner of the UEFA Europa League, and the Western Union Foundation today announced they will collaborate with UNICEF, the world’s leading international children’s organization. Western Union’s PASS Initiative turns every successful pass in the UEFA Europa League competition into funding that supports education for young people around the world.

The PASS Initiative is fronted by former international football star Patrick Vieira. It started during the Group Stage of the UEFA Europa League Season 2012-13, which kicked off on September 20, 2012. The season concludes May 15, 2013 with the UEFA Europa League Final 2013 between Chelsea FC and SL Benfica at the Amsterdam ArenA.

The PASS Initiative is expected to run for the three years of Western Union’s sponsorship of the UEFA Europa League until 2015. Through the program, Western Union is committed to supporting education in select countries around the world.

The collaboration with UNICEF will initially focus on education programs in Nigeria, Jamaica and Turkey. Funding will support UNICEF projects, including teacher training and curriculum development; financial literacy, vocational and life skills training for adolescents; school improvements; and more. Western Union Foundation grants will enable UNICEF to scale these interventions, aiming to provide access to one million days of education for children.

On the evening of the UEFA Europa League Final 2013, Chelsea FC and Nigeria striker Victor Moses, who’s so far contributed 161 passes, said: “Western Union’s PASS Initiative has done a great job in helping bring education to even the most underprivileged countries, and I've been honored to be a part of such a fantastic campaign. The UEFA Europa League is a massive tournament and we’re all looking forward to what should be a great final.”

“We are grateful for Western Union’s continued support of UNICEF,” said Tim Hunter, International Fundraising Director at UNICEF. “This expanded commitment to education will help UNICEF invest in training teachers, and provide vocational and life skills guidance to improve young people’s chances of completing school and successfully transition into the workplace as adults. We are proud to work with Western Union to help more children access a quality education and transform their lives.”

“Moving money for better is at the heart of what we do, and education is one of the main reasons our customers send money,” said Diane Scott, Executive Vice President, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, Western Union, and a member of the Western Union Foundation Board of Directors. “PASS harnesses the power of football to raise awareness of unmet educational needs, and with UNICEF we can impact the lives of secondary school students around the world.”

“Where I come from, opportunities for a quality education are rare,” explained Vieira, the former AS Cannes, AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Juventus FC, FC Internazionale Milano, Manchester City FC and French international player. Vieira is currently football development executive at Manchester City FC. “Football was my ticket to success, but for the vast majority of young people, education is the key that allows them to become whatever they want to be. That’s why I support this campaign. It will benefit students, teachers and schools in places like Senegal, where I was born and lived until moving to France at the age of eight.”

In support of PASS, Western Union has been carrying out a marketing and communications program for its customers and UEFA Europa League fans from around the world. Fans can learn more at www.wu-pass.org or join the conversation on Twitter @wu_pass.

About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately 515,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In 2012, The Western Union Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About the Western Union Foundation
The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for all. With The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief. Since its inception, The Western Union Foundation has committed more than $85.2 million in grants and other giving to 2,591 nongovernmental organizations in more than 130 countries. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.

About Western Union’s UEFA Europa League Sponsorship
In July 2012, Western Union announced a three year deal as the new Global Partner and the Presenting Sponsor of the UEFA Europa League. This sponsorship of the world’s largest club competition, comprising 193 professional football teams from 53 countries, provides Western Union with a unique opportunity for worldwide brand visibility, with the competition broadcast in more than 200 countries and territories, and enjoying a global live match unique reach of 634 million per season. This will allow Western Union, with its extensive network of approximately 515,000 Agent locations in over 200 countries and territories, to engage its customers and Agents in the excitement of the UEFA Europa League. The agreement also provides video, digital and social media content opportunities, and use of the UEFA Europa League brand assets. This partnership will run to the UEFA Europa League Final in 2015.

About UNICEF
UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org.

The Western Union Foundation has furthered its commitment to increasing access and improving the quality of education globally through its 2013 first quarter grant commitment of more than US$1.2 million to nonprofit non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

To address the lack of quality global education, The Western Union Company and The Western Union Foundation have launched a new program called Education for Better, a three-year commitment to growing young minds through strategic grants that focus on secondary education and vocational training. As part of this commitment, the Western Union Foundation pledged an average of $10,000 per day for more than 1,000 days in potential grant funding.

“The lack of universal access to quality education is a significant problem with a very clear solution,” said Patrick Gaston, president of the Western Union Foundation. “Through Education for Better, we look forward to making a direct impact through our grant-making and develop collaborations with NGOs, business partners and the public sectors that are committed to expanding educational opportunities for global communities.”

For 774 million people around the world, the lack of education is a barrier to economic inclusion1. In Sub-Saharan Africa, as many as 73 percent of students don’t attend secondary school, largely due to cost2. And, in Europe, one in five students don’t reach minimum skill levels to function in society3.

Western Union’s Agents are already rallying around the Education for Better cause, matching Western Union Foundation grants to support education in Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas. The Western Union Foundation works closely with Western Union’s Agents around the world to support educational goals.

To address these issues, following is a sample of the NGOs that the foundation has committed to support in Q1 2013:

Africa: In Kenya, a grant will support KickStart, a program that focuses on small business training for farmers to help them learn skills to increase their income. businesses.

Asia:  The Western Union Foundation will support Give2Asia programs that focus on vocational education for low-income families in China, India, the Philippines, and Fiji/Samoa.

Europe: A grant to the Vielfalter Initiative will support cultural diversity education in more than 100 schools throughout Austria.

India: Through Divya Chaya Trust, a grant will support computer literacy programs, English training, and career counseling helping youth from economically weak families secure opportunities for higher education and vocational training.

Sources: 1.United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2.Global Campaign for Education 3.Equity and Quality in Education: Supporting Disadvantaged Students and School, OECD, 2012

About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately 515,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In 2012, The Western Union Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About The Western Union Foundation
The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for all.  With the support of The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future.  Our combined social ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and communities around the world.  Since its inception, The Western Union Foundation has committed more than $86.9 million in grants and other giving to more than 2,627 nongovernmental organizations in more than 130 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.