new year

Last year we rung in the New Year with “One Click Resolutions”. 2014 brings with it a clean slate, a fresh list of resolutions we intend to fulfill. Why not incorporate technology and create some social change this year?

If you like millions of others are planning on working out, losing weight and generally being healthier, than I have an app for you. CharityMiles allows users to earn money for charity when you walk, run, or bike. Bikers earn 10¢ a mile and walkers and runners earn 25¢ a mile. Ending hunger is an issue that is very important to me, so I downloaded this free app and selected Feeding America as my charity of choice. The Capital Area Food Bank is also a great non-profit to support. Tuvel had the privilege of partnering with them in 2013 to help make a difference in the lives of those suffering from hunger.

Maybe working out is not on your resolution radar. For some it may be carving out time to volunteer. Whether you have five minutes, a few hours or weeks to dedicate, Create the Good is a great resource that connects you with volunteer opportunities to share your life experiences, skills and passions in your community. Idealist.org and VolunteerMatch also offer a variety of volunteer opportunities.

For others the resolution may be expanding horizons, more time with friends and family or trying new foods. Whatever it is, there is new geo-location app to try that has “do- gooder” twist, Check-in for Good. This app connects your social networking with fundraising and enables users to support causes. A simple check-in to your favorite places such as coffee shops, restaurants, sporting events and more generates a micro- donation to a great cause.

And for those who are still on quest to figure out your resolutions, why not use a search engine for change? Bene is an online platform and community dedicated to transforming a $50+ billion search industry into pure good. You can also try Dailygood. Use this site for everyday activities like searching the web, playing online games, shopping, dining out and more and raise money for your favorite charity.

If you are interested in discovering more about social initiatives and technology check out The Tool Box. This is a new platform for tools aiding social change. Here you can find the latest articles and apps that are making a difference.

What social change apps or technology are you planning on using this year?

I am excited to kick off the New Year and not simply focus on eating better and time management, but also making a difference in this world. I’ve always been passionate about using technology for social change. In our digital world, helping others has become more accessible and “user-friendly” making it easier for each of us to use the internet for change.

Alleviating hunger is a cause that has been important to me for some time. I am a mother, wife, sister and daughter and to wake up every morning knowing there are millions of people just like me who don’t have the basic necessities such as food is unacceptable. I ran across a search engine called Sleedo (powered by Google) whose slogan is “Feed the poor with every search you make!” The site regularly donates money raised from advertisers and sponsors to the World Food Programme for every search. With each search you make, 10 grains of rice are donated.

Another go-to search engine for good is Benelab (powered by Bing) which was founded by a teenager in Seattle to make philanthropy easy and more accessible. 100% of it’s revenues go to charity.

There are other ways to help in the digital space. If you enjoy online games, check out WeTopia, a game where you play for good. Players earn joy and choose real world projects to fund while having fun with your friends. This is a great way to introduce the concept of giving to your children.

The New Year can’t be complete without a resolution for better health. If you are trying to stay fit like me, check out the Charity Miles app. You can walk, run and bike while earning money for charity. Select which charity you’d like to workout for and press “start.” It tracks your distance and earns money for the organization you select. Bikers earn 10¢ per mile; walkers and runners earn 25¢ per mile. The app is available on iPhone and Android.

If you are always on the go, check out the app Give 2 Charity. It allows users to earn points that equal donation for charities just by carrying your phone. The Give 2 Charity app collects your location data, and in exchange, lets you earn points to redeem for a monetary donation to selected charities including: Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, Sierra Club and Action Against Hunger. At the end of the month, 100% of the proceeds are donated to the charities. This is a new app which is available on Google Play and will soon be available for iPhone users.

There are many more online tools out there which incorporate social change, but my wish for you in 2013 is to think about ways to help others in the real world, through the digital world.