diff --git a/backend/src/controllers/textJobController.ts b/backend/src/controllers/textJobController.ts
index ef5a51f8..c7edbefc 100644
--- a/backend/src/controllers/textJobController.ts
+++ b/backend/src/controllers/textJobController.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import type { NextFunction, Request, RequestHandler, Response } from "express";
 const FIRST_NAME_TOKEN = "{{First Name}}";
 
 type Recipient = {
-  firstName: string;
-  phoneNumber: string;
+  firstName?: string;
+  phoneNumber?: string;
 };
 
 type CreateTextJobBody = {
@@ -27,8 +27,20 @@ export const createTextJob = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunct
       return;
     }
 
+    const textableRecipients = recipients
+      .filter((recipient) => recipient.phoneNumber?.trim())
+      .map((recipient) => ({
+        firstName: recipient.firstName ?? "",
+        phoneNumber: recipient.phoneNumber!.trim(),
+      }));
+
+    if (textableRecipients.length === 0) {
+      res.status(400).json({ error: "at least one recipient with a phone number is required" });
+      return;
+    }
+
     const jobId = randomUUID();
-    await TextJobModel.create({ jobId, message, recipients });
+    await TextJobModel.create({ jobId, message, recipients: textableRecipients });
 
     res.status(201).json({ jobId });
   } catch (error) {
@@ -47,7 +59,7 @@ export const getTextJob: RequestHandler = async (req, res, next) => {
     res.status(200).json({
       messages: job.recipients.map((r) => ({
         to: r.phoneNumber,
-        body: job.message.replaceAll(FIRST_NAME_TOKEN, r.firstName),
+        body: job.message.replaceAll(FIRST_NAME_TOKEN, r.firstName ?? ""),
       })),
     });
   } catch (error) {
diff --git a/backend/src/models/textJobModel.ts b/backend/src/models/textJobModel.ts
index 0a766b5c..cd59adff 100644
--- a/backend/src/models/textJobModel.ts
+++ b/backend/src/models/textJobModel.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import type { InferSchemaType } from "mongoose";
 
 const recipientSchema = new Schema(
   {
-    firstName: { type: String, required: true },
+    firstName: { type: String, default: "" },
     phoneNumber: { type: String, required: true },
   },
   { _id: false },
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/messages/new/review/page.tsx b/frontend/src/app/messages/new/review/page.tsx
index 30e9f3a2..16d0066a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/messages/new/review/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/messages/new/review/page.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ const FIRST_NAME_TOKEN = "{{First Name}}";
 const backIcon = backIconAsset as string;
 const groupsIcon = groupsIconAsset as string;
 
+const hasContactValue = (value: string | undefined) => Boolean(value?.trim());
+const createSuccessMessage = (count: number) =>
+  `Your message has successfully\nbeen sent to ${count} volunteers.`;
+
 export default function ReviewAndSendPage() {
   const router = useRouter();
 
@@ -70,14 +74,17 @@ export default function ReviewAndSendPage() {
   const [sending, setSending] = useState(false);
   const [sendError, setSendError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [shortcutUrl, setShortcutUrl] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [sentRecipientCount, setSentRecipientCount] = useState<number | null>(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setShortcutUrl(null);
+    setSentRecipientCount(null);
   }, [selectedRecipientIds]);
 
   const successMessage = useMemo(() => {
-    return `Your message has successfully\nbeen sent to ${recipientsCount} volunteers.`;
-  }, [recipientsCount]);
+    const count = sentRecipientCount ?? recipientsCount;
+    return createSuccessMessage(count);
+  }, [recipientsCount, sentRecipientCount]);
 
   const handleSend = async () => {
     if (!canSend || sending) return;
@@ -96,9 +103,16 @@ export default function ReviewAndSendPage() {
         }
 
         const allVolunteers = await fetchVolunteers();
-        const recipients = allVolunteers.filter((v) => selectedRecipientIds.includes(v._id));
+        const recipients = allVolunteers
+          .filter((v) => selectedRecipientIds.includes(v._id))
+          .filter((v) => hasContactValue(v.email))
+          .map((v) => ({
+            ...v,
+            firstName: v.firstName ?? "",
+            lastName: v.lastName ?? "",
+          }));
         if (recipients.length === 0) {
-          setSendError("Could not find recipient data. Please re-select your recipients.");
+          setSendError("None of the selected recipients have an email address.");
           return;
         }
 
@@ -116,7 +130,7 @@ export default function ReviewAndSendPage() {
         }
 
         const historyResult = await createMessageHistory({
-          recipients: selectedRecipientIds,
+          recipients: recipients.map((recipient) => recipient._id),
           type: "email",
           subject,
           body: message,
@@ -128,23 +142,26 @@ export default function ReviewAndSendPage() {
           return;
         }
 
-        sessionStorage.setItem("success-toast", successMessage);
+        setSentRecipientCount(recipients.length);
+        sessionStorage.setItem("success-toast", createSuccessMessage(recipients.length));
         resetDraft();
         router.replace("/communication");
         return;
       }
 
       const allVolunteers = await fetchVolunteers();
-      const recipients = allVolunteers.filter((v) => selectedRecipientIds.includes(v._id));
+      const recipients = allVolunteers
+        .filter((v) => selectedRecipientIds.includes(v._id))
+        .filter((v) => hasContactValue(v.phoneNumber));
       if (recipients.length === 0) {
-        setSendError("Could not find recipient data. Please re-select your recipients.");
+        setSendError("None of the selected recipients have a phone number.");
         return;
       }
 
       const jobResult = await createTextJob({
         message,
         recipients: recipients.map((recipient) => ({
-          firstName: recipient.firstName,
+          firstName: recipient.firstName ?? "",
           phoneNumber: recipient.phoneNumber,
         })),
       });
@@ -155,7 +172,7 @@ export default function ReviewAndSendPage() {
       }
 
       const historyResult = await createMessageHistory({
-        recipients: selectedRecipientIds,
+        recipients: recipients.map((recipient) => recipient._id),
         type: "text",
         subject: null,
         body: message,
@@ -167,6 +184,7 @@ export default function ReviewAndSendPage() {
         return;
       }
 
+      setSentRecipientCount(recipients.length);
       const shortcutBase = (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SHORTCUT_API_URL ?? API_BASE_URL).replace(
         /\/+$/,
         "",