Thanksgiving is right around the corner and during this time of the year, I always try to give back in some way. As I've gone off to college, I've realized that I have limited time and zero money to give. So last year, I went searching online and found a few websites and apps that allow me to pay it forward without requiring a huge time commitment or money.
When it comes to donating, this is as easy as it gets! I thought I would share some of these FREE websites and apps for anyone, like me, who is a busy broke college student that wants to give back. I encourage everyone to visit at least one of these websites or apps and help someone else.
Tab for a Cause
"Tab for a Cause" is an extension for Google Chrome users, which allows them to donate just by opening a tab. It's completely free and can be installed in under five seconds. It's a browser app that has ads in the bottom corner of the screen, which is how money is raised. For every tab you open while using the browser, you earn a "heart," which you can donate to one of the eight charities that are partnered with "Tab for a Cause." A few of the charities are "Action Against Hunger," "Human Rights Watch," "Water.org," and many more. It even allows you to bookmark websites and post notes on the homepage. The extension features the date and time in the middle of the screen, and you can even customize the background photo. This is honestly one of my favorites on this list! If you're like me and you have a million tabs open at all times, this is perfect for you.
Free Rice
This is a throwback to middle school computer class, but "Free Rice" is still an amazing charity. "Free Rice" is a website designed to help children practice different subjects, such as math and English. For each right answer, "Free Rice" donates ten grains of rice through the World Food Programme. These questions are definitely not college-level, but that's what makes them easy and quick to answer. Picture it: you're bored on a Tuesday night, binge-watching "The Office" for the third time. While you're watching, you could be answering basic math questions to end world hunger! This is something you could do in your spare time, it's easy, and most importantly, it's free.
Walk for a Dog
For all the dog lovers, this app is perfect for you! Walk for a Dog tracks how far you and your dog walk. The app allows you to enter more than one dog and even lets you chose the shelter you want your "walking" to go towards. Donations are determined by how many people are walking for each shelter, so the more people who walk for a shelter, the more donations they receive. For all those people who are thinking, "My dog is at home" or "I don't have a dog but I still want to help," this app has you covered. One of my favorite things about this app is the "Walk with Cassie" option. If you don't currently have a dog, you can choose to walk with Cassie! Cassie represents all dogs and allows you to still help shelters even without a dog. Walk for a Dog also tracks your running path, your distance, average miles per hour, and your time. The next time you're out walking your dog, use Walk for a Dog! This way, not only are you spending quality time with your dog, but you're also helping other dogs at the same time.
Charity Miles
"Charity Miles" is a fitness app that tracks how many miles you walk or run. For each mile you are active, money is donated to the charity of your choice. The app is partnered with forty charities, and allows you to pick one to raise money for. You can also change your charity at any time. Charity Miles also allows you to have people sponsor you, and even gives the option to create a team and raising money with others! The awesomeness does not stop there: Charity Miles offers applications you can install, one of them being Walgreens. You can earn balance rewards points when you use Charity Miles! For every one mile you run, you earn 20 points, and you get 250 points just for syncing your account with the app. There's also exclusive podcasts, blog articles, and recipes available for app users. All of these FREE benefits while helping out a charity you're passionate about, all while you work out?! That sounds like a dream, if you ask me.
Donate a Photo
Take your photography skills and use them to help others! The company Johnson & Johnson has created the app called Donate a Photo. This app allows you to pick a cause, pick a photo, and share it on the app. For every photo you donate, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 to the cause you choose. There are so many causes to choose from, such as helping service members and helping breast cancer survivor afford reconstructive surgery. Donate a Photo also allows you to see what photos others have donated and which causes they donated towards. You can donate a family photo, pictures of your dog, all your cute Snapchat selfies, any photo you want! You can only donate one photo a day, but every day you can donate to a different charity. Just think, every day you can help a different group of people just by taking a picture. This app just proves how easy it is to help someone else.
Random Acts of Kindness
This final way to help others may seem cliche, but it definitely goes a long way. If websites and apps aren't your thing, that's perfectly fine. You can always help others with random acts of kindness. Whether it's something like helping a friend with homework or just holding the door for someone, that little action does makes a difference. There is so much hate and negativity in the world, sometimes it gets hard to see the good. Show others that there is still good in the world! You do not have to start your own charity in order to make a difference. Just tell people to "Have a good day," wave thank you when someone lets you go first at an intersection, or smile back at people. These little things speak volumes, and will hopefully inspire others to do the same. Sometimes kindness is the only thing people really need.
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