(RNS) -- Still trying to keep up with those New Year’s resolutions? Fear not: As your vows to lose weight or give more to charity get harder to keep, there are nearly a dozen apps that can help you stick to your plan — and do some good.
In general, American consumers spend an average of 2 hours and 42 minutes per day on their mobile devices, according to a Flurry report, and apps dominate people’s time and attention. Charities have been quick to jump on this trend with their own apps, and now some apps can marry your New Year’s resolutions with donations to charity.
Habitat for Humanity has worked closely with the app Charity Miles. Ruth Davila, director of cause marketing and workplace giving at Habitat for Humanity International, said the house-building charity has found these apps to be beneficial.
“These types of apps continue to increase in popularity, and we have found they are a useful and easy way to engage our donors and build donations. Within the first two years of this partnership, we saw an increase of 53 percent in Charity Miles donations received through the app,” Davila said.
Here are 10 apps, all available for iPhones, to help you keep those New Year’s resolutions and help your community.
New Year’s resolution: Get in shape
App name: Charity Miles
What it does: For every mile you’ve run, biked or walked that’s tracked by the Charity Miles app, you’ll earn money for the charity of your choice.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: Habitat for Humanity
App name: Charity footprints
What it does: Set a walking, running or biking goal and ask others to pledge donations for meeting this goal. Track workouts with the app; when you finish the goal, the money is automatically donated to the charity of your choice.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: Boy Scouts of America, Christian Community Action, Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance, Interfaith Youth Core, Hillel and more.
New Year’s resolution: Break a bad habit or start a good one
App name: 21habit
What it does: Set a goal to break or start a habit, such as to quit smoking or to practice your guitar every day. The app will remind you each day and ask whether it is completed. If you fail, it donates $1 to one of several charities.
Cost: 99 cents for the app and $21 for “committed mode”
Faith-based charities that participate: Habitat for Humanity
New Year’s resolution: Give up that extra latte
App name: I can go without
What it does: Pick something you can go without, such as a latte or ice cream. Then pick a charity and donate that amount you would’ve spent to the charity of your choice.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: An entire category of more than 100 religious organizations, including Interfaith Youth Core, Hillel and World Help.
New Year’s resolution: Shop smarter
App name: egood
What it does: Find companies in your area that donate to charities, or look up certain charities and find businesses in your area that donate to them.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: Heart for Africa
App name: Goodshop
What it does: Every time you shop with this app, a percentage of the purchase goes to the cause of your choice.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: Habitat for Humanity, KLife, various churches
New Year’s resolution: Get rid of old junk
App name: ThriftSNAP
What it does: Take a photo of your old things, sell it on ThriftSNAP and automatically donate the money to a charity.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: Biblical Life Ministries, Lifeline Christian Mission
New Year’s resolution: Stop hoarding loose change
App name: Spare Change
What it does: Tempted to toss some spare change to a homeless person but you aren’t sure how the person will spend the money? Click the pledge button to donate to a local homeless charity. After 5 clicks, the app will automatically collect your money and donate.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: The Coalition on Human Needs works with religious organizations to end homelessness.
New Year’s resolution: Volunteer more
App name: Reward Volunteers
What it does: It’s like a social media account for volunteers, allowing you to upload pictures and share stories of your good work. The more hours logged, the more reach points you rack up that enter you and the organization for prizes. You can also find and/or promote organizations.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith Power and Light and more
New Year’s resolution: Accomplish a new goal
App name: stickK
What it does: Set a new goal for yourself, such as losing weight, watching less TV or learning how to tango. Set a deadline and put a certain amount of money on the line. If you accomplish your goal, you get all your money back. But if you don’t, you’ll forfeit your money to charity.
Cost: Free
Faith-based charities that participate: Feed the Children
c. 2015 Religion News Service. Used with permission.
Publication date: January 21, 2015
