10 Ways to Use Technology to Give Back
With today’s technology, you might not even need to leave your home to get involved. You can give back from behind a computer screen or through a mobile app. Of course, many organizations will accept monetary donations through their website, but if donating money is not feasible or you’re looking for fun and cool ways to give back, check out these links below.
This is a great option if you do a lot of online shopping! When your package arrives, it often comes in a cardboard box that you likely don’t need. If you make a purchase with a partner of Give Back Box, you can reuse the shipping box and fill it with any donation items (clothing, toiletries, packaged foods, etc.), download a free shipping label, and have the box mailed to a local charity at no cost. You can drop off the box at your local UPS or USPS or schedule a pick-up time. Some partners include Amazon, Nordstrom, Newegg, Ann Taylor, and Levi’s, for example.
AmazonSmile is perfect if you already use Amazon. When you shop with AmazonSmile, you can select an organization of your choice, such as the American Cancer Society and World Wildlife Fund, and 0.5% of the cost of your products goes toward that charity. AmazonSmile is the same as Amazon, except certain products will be marked as eligible for these donations. Visit smile.amazon.com to get started.
Do you tend to have a million internet tabs open at a time? If you use Google Chrome, you can install this extension and money will be donated to a charity every time you open a new tab!
Charity Miles is a mobile app, available on iOS and Android, that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle. It tracks your physical activity using your device’s GPS and you can earn money for charities for each mile you walk, run, or bike. Along with your workouts, everyday activities like walking your dog and just moving around the house also count toward your steps.
Support an animal shelter or rescue center of your choice when you walk your dog and track it using this mobile app! Over 7,000 animal shelters across the nation have been supported through this app.
6. Free Rice
This is a website where you can test your knowledge on common educational subjects, like vocabulary, the periodic table, geography, literature, foreign languages, etc. This can be a great tool for studying or simply sharpening up your mind in your spare time. For every answer you get right, the organization donates 10 grains of rice to help end world hunger.
7. CAUSEBOX
CAUSEBOX a quarterly subscription box aimed for women. Each box includes products from socially conscious brands that support a variety of causes, such as conserving the environment, promoting local artists, preventing animal cruelty, empowering women, etc. These products may include apparel, accessories, beauty products, artwork, and more.
Literally, just click (or tap if you’re on mobile). When you click on a button, their sponsors will donate money to support a cause. It only takes one click to help an animal or child in need, for example.
Survey Monkey is not just an ordinary online survey tool. You can also take surveys to raise money for charity!
10. Crowdrise
If you’re looking to raise money for charitable event or cause, this is the tool for you! Whether you’re an individual or organization, this free platform allows you to collect donations for any cause of your choice and share your campaign with friends online. Social media is an extremely powerful tool for fundraising, activism, and community.
We hope at least one of these interest you. If you know of any other ways to use your smart devices for good, share them in a comment below!
