Tech Tuesday: Tech That Gives Back

With Thanksgiving a not-so-distant memory for us here in the United States and with a wide array of other holidays upon us all over the world, there is one consistent theme surrounding all of us: giving back to those who are less fortunate. Yes the holidays can rack up some serious bills, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that giving back isn’t possible! Whether it’s some gloves and a hat to keep a child warm or a monetary donation, we’re all capable of giving something and it may not even have to cost you money! I’ve searched the web to track down some of the most convenient and less financially draining ways to keep the holiday spirit alive this December. Continue reading to learn how you can make an impact this season, as well as at future events.

Feedie

For you foodies out there, what’s just as satisfying as a delicious meal? A delicious meal that looks pretty too! Well now there’s an app for you Instagram-worth foodies. Once you download Feedie, you can then connect your social networks to the app and search for a participating restaurant. Before digging into your meal, quickly snap a picture of your meal and share it on the app and voilà! Feedie with meal a donation equal to one meal to The Lunchbox Fund, all for simply sharing a photo (which you may have done anyways)! To date, there have already been 12,003,830 meals shared. Encourage your attendees and staff to download the app and make your contribution too!

Charity Miles

Getting an early morning workout in before a long day of trade show exhibition or even just a regular day at the office is a most for some of us. Or maybe you need to make a mid-day coffee run when you need an extra boost of energy. Now you can use those miles for a good cause! Charity Miles has been able to donate $1.7 Million for charity thanks to everyone that’s moving for a cause. Thanks to brand workout sponsors like Johnson & Johnson, Chobani and Humana, for every mile you put in, they give back. Now, if you need extra motivation to not hit snooze when that alarm goes off in the morning, think about how you could be helping more people than just yourself. Try it out today!

Charity Navigator

With the holiday season upon us, you’re surely thinking about gifts to send. Sure, you could gift the normal gift basket or knick-knack, or you could pay it forward. With Charity Navigator, you are able to select a charity from their enormous database of organizations and make a donation in the name of a friend, family member or even a client! All of their charities have been carefully evaluated to assure that those that you are donating to are in fact worthy of donations. Even better? They don’t charge you extra for utilizing their site when making a donation, so you can be sure that you are gifting your donation and your donation only! Keep this idea in mind when sourcing your holiday gifts this season, because you can’t put a price on helping those in need.

 Random Acts of Flowers

With all of the money that is spent on floral centerpieces for events, dinners and awards shows, it’s a shame to see all of that money and effort thrown in the trash at the end of the day. Now, you can send those flowers off to health facilities and hand-delivered to someone by a volunteer group. Random Acts of Flowers is an organization that has been making a real impact on communities all over the country by improving mental health and overall emotional wellness of recipients during hospital stays Through this organization, not only are your florals being recycled for a good cause, but also helps keep floral materials out of landfills. To learn more about how you can make your own donation of flowers, visit their website here. Don’t have any flowers to donate but would still like to make a contribution? For every $1 donated, Random Acts of Flowers delivers $5 of floral value to a patient!

For those of you who are looking for some last minute gift ideas for team members, clients or partners, here are some ideas that can help you incorporate the idea of giving back into your annual holiday-themed thank you:

Baking For Good – This company combines the traditional gift basket with a donation! For every $20 spent, Baking For Good will donate $1 to a charity of your choice (from their list of organizations).
I Still Call Australia Home – Similar to Baking For Good, I Still Call Australia Home creates Australian Gift Hampers for those in Australia. In return, for every gift basket that is ordered, this company will donate $1 to the Australian Koala Foundation.
Centrepoint
– This season, you can give the gift of home to the homeless youth of London, Bradford, Sunderland and many other areas all over the UK! Through this organization you can choose to sponsor a room, gift supplies or donate money in the name of a company or an individual!