December rolls around and all anyone can think about is donating and volunteering. Christmas puts poverty into perspective. All throughout the month, people spend time buying “Adopt-A-Child” gifts, preparing dinners for those who cannot provide for themselves, and volunteering at food banks. It seems like once Christmas is over, people resume to obsessing over their new gifts and think that they’ve done enough volunteering for the year. That’s where they’re wrong, volunteering and donating to those less fortunate shouldn’t only be done while wearing Santa hats. Here are some ways you can put your new iPhone to good use, and feel good all year long.
Donate a Photo: If you post on Instagram, this app is for you. Every time you post a photo, take a minute to upload your photo to the app Donate a Photo. The photo can be anything you want, anywhere from selfies to sunset photos. Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 once a day to the charity of your choice, meaning if you upload a picture every day, Johnson & Johnson will donate $365 a year to your charity---it’s that simple!
Volunteer Match: While in college, it’s sometimes hard to know what’s going on in the community around you. There are 100,000 volunteer organizations linked with this app, so you’re bound to find something you want to take part in. All you have to do is enter your location, and you’ll get a list of all of the volunteer opportunities in your area. We can always help out a little bit more, and with this app, you’ll never again be able to use the excuse “I’d love to volunteer, I just don’t know where to start”.
Feedie: Here’s one for anyone who posts every single thing they put in their mouths on Instagram. All you have to do is go to a restaurant that participates in the cause (listed on the app), take a picture of your food and post it to social media. You can even add filters---just like Instagram. The restaurant will then make a donation to the Lunchbox Fund, which is a non-profit organization that provides daily meals to schoolchildren in South Africa. Enjoy your meal knowing you’ve helped a child enjoy theirs.
One Today: This app showcases different nonprofits every day, and encourages you to make a small $1 donation. You’re probably thinking, how can $1 help? One Today will explain exactly how your $1 will be put to use. You’ll be surprised to learn how far your $1 will go.
Charity Miles: This is kind of like being a sponsored athlete, but the difference is that the money your sponsors pay you goes to a cause that’s important to you. There are a bunch of different causes on the app, so you’re guaranteed to find one that you’re passionate about. Bikers earn 10 cents per mile, and runners or walkers earn 25 cents. Just turn the app on when you start to exercise, and at the end you can share your accomplishment on social media to encourage friends to exercise for a cause.
Instead: This app encourages you to make small donations that make a huge impact. Rather than downing your third Frappuccino of the day, you can donate $3 or $5. The app will send you motivational messages, conveying messages like drinking water instead of a different beverage will save enough money to provide somebody clean water for a year. So as you’re standing in the long ling at Starbucks for the fifth time this week, ask yourself if you really need a Latte as much as someone needs water for an entire year.
Pay it Forward: Whether it’s paying for the person behind you, or helping someone carry groceries to their car, there are countless ways to pay it forward. Not only will it put a smile on their face, but also on yours. This app will suggest random deeds that you can partake in, such as giving up your seat or giving someone a compliment. People say it's the little things that count, and this app proves their point.
Budge: This app lets you challenge your friends to games while simultaneously earning money for charity. If you challenge your friend to a game and they lose, they make a small donation to a charity of their choice. Friendly competition never hurt anyone, and with the Budge Challenge, it actually helps!