Charity Miles is an interesting app: it’s a for-profit company that helps major companies spend their advertising dollars in a new way, namely by donating that ad budget to the charity of your choice for every mile you walk, bike, or run.
When you open the app, you’ll be prompted to choose your charity– that’s the best part, every day you can choose a different one. Currently, the app offers 37 different programs that cover a wide base of worthy causes: Feeding America, ASPCA, Stand Up to Cancer, Charity: Water, National Park Foundation, (RED), Autism Speaks, Wounded Warrior Project, The World Food Program, and Achilles International, just to name a few.
Once you select your day’s charity to benefit, you’ll select what type of activity you’re going to be doing: Outdoor walk/run, Indoor walk/run, or Outdoor biking. The app uses the phone’s GPS, built-in activity tracker and motion sensors, so anything you do that’s moving– dancing, strutting, cooking– all counts. These phone-based sensors are reasonably accurate, but if you think it’s off, you can email the app’s support team for help. You earn charities 25 cents per mile for walking or running and 10 cents per mile while biking.
An ad will pop up with a friendly message saying “X company is sponsoring you!” which makes you feel kind of special and also helps motivate you to never skip another workout– after all, by getting healthy, you’re also donating to noble causes! The app will show you your current distance, the time it’s taken, total earned so far for the charity you chose and your current streak. There’s a stop button you press when you’re done.
To date, Charity Miles users have banked these charities over $2 million. The sponsors providing the actual money behind those donations include Humana, Johnson & Johnson, MasterCard, Kenneth Cole, Timex Sports, CVS Health, Chobani, Lifeway Sports, and Hoka One One. If your company is interested in becoming a sponsor, email inspiration@charitymiles.org.
Charity Miles benefits literally everyone: you’re increasingly active, helping your own health while ensuring worthy causes get the money they need. Download it now for iOS or Android!
