Fight pediatric diabetes with SMS text messages - Washington Nationals and MLB.com help fight childhood disease

There are some things in life that are worth fighting for, and the cure for childhood diabetes is one of them. In the latest effort to help eradicate the childhood disease, the Washington Nationals have teamed up with MLB.com to raise funds to further the Children’s National Medical Center’s ongoing fight against pediatric diabetes.

On July 13, the Washington Nationals will encourage fans to send an SMS text message the word “NATS” to 90999 in order to donate $5 to the Children’s National Medical Center. The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation has made Children’s National Medical Center one of its key partners in the Washington community, and has donated $2 million towards the development of a Diabetes Care Complex.  All donations made on July 13 will help fund the project.

While the focus of the charity drive will be the Nationals’ Sunday-game against the Houston Astros, anyone can help further the search for a cure for childhood diabetes by texting “NATS” to 90999 anytime between July 10 and July 31. SMS text messages are sent by droves of wireless subscribers every day, but this is one of the first applications of the service for charitable causes.

“We’re proud to support Children’s National Medical Center to improve the lives of children in our community,” said Alphonso Maldon, President of the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation. “And by offering text giving, we’re making it easy and convenient for fans to show their support.”

According to Jim Manis, Founder and CEO of the Mobile Giving Foundation, “MLB.com is helping the Mobile Giving Foundation pioneer charitable giving over the mobile channel in the U.S. [and] …. this is the first time mobile giving has been used in stadium at a professional sporting event to provide fans an opportunity to support their charity.”