Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Branson offers phones to homeless youth

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 10/5/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Sir Richard Branson is hoisted by Virgin Radio Winnipeg brand director Dale Davies and Virgin Radio Canada�s executive vice-president of content programming Rob Farina in Winnipeg. (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Related Items

Articles
- Richard Branson's Winnipeg visit raises over $300,000 for charity

Enlarge Image

Sir Richard Branson is hoisted by Virgin Radio Winnipeg Brand Director Dale Davies and Virgin Radio Canada�s Executive VP of Content Programming Rob Farina upon his arrival in Winnipeg. Photo taken at Esso Avitat where all the private jets land. He�s in town for some charity event. October 4th, 2012 BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

ONE of the richest men in the world has launched a pilot program to put cellular phones in the hands of homeless and at-risk youth.

Sir Richard Branson unveiled Phones for Change on Thursday through Virgin Mobile Canada and Virgin Unite, two subsidiaries of the Virgin Group, an international giant he founded.

Phones for Change will work with Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) in Winnipeg and Vancouver's Broadway Youth Resource Centre to give young people access to phones and monthly plans while educating them on the importance of financial management and how to escape the cycle of debt.

"With at-risk and homeless youth having so much to go without, a mobile phone is more than just an accessory, it's their lifeline to employment and services," Branson said.

Youth nominated by each organization will receive a Virgin Mobile phone. The program will run for one year in Winnipeg and Vancouver with the goal of expanding to other cities in 2013.

Branson, whose net worth is estimated at US$4.2 billion, will be in Winnipeg today visiting the studios of Virgin Radio (formerly Hot 103) and speaking to a sold-out Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 5, 2012 A6

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Local

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.