Charity Miles is a free app that donates money to charities for every mile walked, jogged or bike by the user. The popularity of Pokémon Go led to a surge in registered miles.
Charity Miles is an app that tracks its user’s physical activity and rewards it with donations to charity. Once the app is installed, it tracks a user’s movements, donating 25 cents to charity for each mile run and 50 cents for each mile biked. The organisation acquires funds through sponsorship deals, whereby companies contribute a certain amount to the platform that is then pooled. Portions of these funds are then forwarded on to charities the app has partnered with in accordance with users’ rates of activity. Charities include Alzheimer’s Association, Stand up to Cancer, Wounded Warrior Project, and several more. It is a fun way to encourage physical activity while raising funds for important causes such as cancer research and animal rights and according to the organisation, Charity Miles has donated over two million USD to charity to date.
Monster Hunting for a Good Cause
While millenials are often criticised for being sedentary and antisocial, a new factor could change this. And it has to do with virtual monsters.
Most people with a working internet connection have heard of Pokémon Go by now, the game that brings people back outside to hunt for Pokémon in their neighbourhood. The game was launched on July 6 and had incredible success, making Nintendo’s market value skyrocket.
Like most pop phenomena, Pokémon Go players are already experiencing some backlash. The game is deemed dangerous, stupid and not that interesting in the long run. But the fact remains that in comparison to other popular games such as Candy Crush, it motivates people to get outside and walk, regardless of whether they are glued to their phone or not.
So why not raise money for charities while hunting for a rare Pokémon in your neighbourhood? Charity Miles noticed a surge in their registered miles after the release of the game and decided to encourage more Pokémon Go players to follow suit in a blog post.
The interaction between Charity Miles and Pokémon Go is a clear example of how technology and social media can be used for a good cause. People are more active to chase virtual monsters, and in doing so they track their distance and raise real money for important causes. This is the kind of game we can get behind.
So, what are you waiting for? Gotta catch ‘em all! Just make sure you download Charity Miles first…
