Virgin Mobile USA Asks Consumers to “Do Whatever It Takes” to Help End Youth Homelessness

DoWhateverItTakes.org allows consumers to offer a stunt or service in exchange for donations

WARREN, N.J. (BUSINESS WIRE), November 16, 2011 – Virgin Mobile USA, a leading no-contract wireless brand and award-winning champion for ending youth homelessness through The RE*Generation – Virgin Mobile’s charitable initiative focused on empowering a generation to help its own – are inviting people to help raise awareness and join the cause to end youth homelessness through the new “Do Whatever It Takes” campaign. Virgin Mobile USA is partnering with Virgin Mobile Canada and Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, to bring “Do Whatever It Takes” to the United States and Canada.

Launching today, Do Whatever It Takes (www.dowhateverittakes.org) is a campaign that encourages participants to “do whatever” to create opportunities for homeless youth to have the bigger futures they deserve. Using their personal talents, creative and quirky ideas – be it dancing in a leotard and tutu during that important presentation, eating a plate of jalapenos, or speaking in gibberish for 24 hours – the stunts will be available through viral videos, all of which will showcase the most jaw-dropping, hilarious and all-in-good-fun activities America’s young adults can offer in the name of helping homeless youth.

Each stunt will have a monetary donation goal set by the person volunteering so when their donation goal is met they will deliver their stunt. Campaign participants can either offer a stunt or give a donation toward someone else’s stunt.

Virgin Mobile USA will seek to again focus public awareness specifically in November, which, through the wireless carrier’s efforts, was designated as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month by the U.S. Congress.

To spread awareness for the campaign, Virgin Mobile and Virgin Unite have enlisted the help of popular YouTubers and bloggers, including Michael Buckley, Toby Turner, Corey Vidal and Timothy De La Ghetto.

“I’m so grateful to be in a position to help the homeless youth population,” said Buckley of the online “What the Buck?!” show. “I know that kids are kicked out of their homes, often for being gay, and this weighs on my mind every day. I hope people will donate to see me learn as many gymnastics tricks as possible and nail them! NAIL THEM!!! Or fall on my face…..either way it will make a great video!”

“We’ve created this new campaign to allow two kinds of participation – donations and stunts – to allow people to get involved in ways that suit them best,” said Felicia Hill, manager of Viral Campaigns & Brand Initiatives, Virgin Mobile USA. “The model is no different than pledging to participate in a charity marathon. It’s just a lot less sweat. Our goal is to get thousands of pledges raising the profile for youth homelessness in a social manner.”

Jean Oelwang, CEO, Virgin Unite, added, “It is unacceptable that young people don’t have a place to call home, and we are missing their talent and potential from the world. We are honored to be raising awareness of the issue and helping everyone show their support and take an action. Your support will help our partners on the ground who are dealing with these young people’s issues on the frontlines. It’s easy and simple to act and you can also have fun along the way.”

Do Whatever It Takes furthers The RE*Generation program’s initiatives. Through donations and partnerships, more than $500,000 have been invested in building The RE*Generation since its launch in 2006. Volunteers have given more than 75,000 hours of their time and more than 25,000 outreach hygiene kits to the cause.

ABOUT VIRGIN MOBILE USA

Virgin Mobile USA, one of Sprint‘s prepaid brands, offers millions of customers control, flexibility and connectivity through Virgin Mobile’s Beyond Talk™ No Contract plans with unlimited data for mobile phone service, including Android-powered smartphones and prepaid Broadband2Go high-speed Web access. Virgin Mobile branded devices are available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Target, Walmart, Best Buy and RadioShack. Top-Up cards are available at approximately 150,000 locations nationwide and can be used for Assurance Wireless and Broadband2Go services. Experience Virgin Mobile USA at Facebook and Twitter; and purchase products at www.virginmobileusa.com.

ABOUT VIRGIN MOBILE CANADA

Virgin Mobile Canada rewards, entertains and connects like no one else, delivering the hottest phones on the hottest 4G network^[1]. Virgin Mobile members get access to must-see events, global roaming and award-winning service, and 91 percent of members would also recommend Virgin Mobile to a friend.

The Virgin Mobile group of companies has attracted more than 15 million customers worldwide. Virgin Mobile phones are available at more than 4,000 locations nationally, including The Source, Virgin Mobile retail locations and additional retail partners. Virgin Mobile products can also be purchased online at www.virginmobile.ca or by calling 1-888-999-2321. Get personal with Virgin Mobile Canada on Facebook at facebook.com/virginmobilecan and Twitter at twitter.com/virginmobilecan.

ABOUT VIRGIN UNITE

Virgin Unite is the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group. We unite people to tackle tough social and environmental problems in an entrepreneurial way. Our aim is to help revolutionize the way businesses, governments and the social sector work together – driving business as a force for good. This is based on the belief that this is the only way we can tackle the scale and urgency of the challenges facing the world today. Virgin Unite’s overheads are covered by Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Group, meaning that 100 percent of additional donations received go direct to the frontline where they are needed most. For more information please visit www.virginunite.com. Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/virginunite. Join the movement on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Virgin–Unite.

^[1] www.virginmobile.ca/coverage