Those of you who haven’t been living under a rock for the past weeks undoubtedly have noticed that our nation has found a new favorite pastime. And it sounds a lot like this.
http:/https://youtu.be/rg6CiPI6h2g
Pokemon Go, the first widespread augmented reality game, has millions of people outside—smart phone in hand—exploring new territory in search of their favorite pokemon. The popularity of Pokemon Go has also had a few impacts not exactly planned for in its development—including the game being used to commit robberies, leading people off cliffs, resulting in the discovery of cadavers, and distracting drivers while they crash into cop cars.
Additionally, some people are already figuring out how to use this game to achieve great good.
Take this hospital in Michigan for example. At C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, doctors and nurses are using the game to get sick children out of bed and exercising. They even claim that Pokemon Go has led to patients socializing with each other around pokemon “hotspots.”
There is also an app that came up with an easy way to use Pokemon Go for good—and it’s available to all of us.
App Logo
Enter Charity Miles—the app that turns your workout into money for charity. The app itself simply offers three categories of workout (walking/running inside or outside and biking) and then tracks the miles you travel during your workout. It is after you finish your trek that the magic happens. The folks at Charity Miles receive money from sponsors (Johnson & Johnson, Humana, etc.) and partner with non-profits like the Alzheimer’s Association and World Wildlife Fund. It allows its users to pick a non-profit to donate to and converts their miles moved into money given. Pretty simple right?
It gets better: Charity Miles works while playing Pokemon Go.
One of the app’s options for a workout is “walking”—which people playing Pokemon Go tend to do a lot of. It wasn’t long before supporters of Charity Miles, like Save the Children, saw the connection and began encouraging these new trainers to raise money as well as pokemon.
All you need to do to turn your Pokemon hunts into philanthropic opportunities is download the app and let it run in the background. Charity Miles will track how much you move, and—once you’ve caught that elusive Zoobat—convert those miles into funds for charity. It’s a win-win for everyone!
These are just a few of the non-profits you can support with Charity Miles! Image from npo.io
So if you really want to be the best—like no one ever was—take your game up a notch by downloading and using Charity Miles to help save the world, one pokemon at at time.
Want to see some other apps that will help you make a positive impact? Click here
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