Want to volunteer but have limited time and don’t know where to start? Check out our list of six volunteering apps that you can download on your phone or tablet to find easy and rewarding volunteer opportunities! After all, studies have shown that when you volunteer, you increase your self confidence and your sense of belonging. Because you are serving others in the community, you are assisting others in their own personal struggles and in the process increasing your happiness as well!
1. Be My Eyes
Be My Eyes is an app where you can do exactly what the title says—you can be someone’s eyes.
So many people who struggle with blindness or visual impairment. You can make a difference in their lives by doing something as simple as video calling them to help them match colors, read expiration dates, finding lost items, and more. When you sign up, you choose the languages you speak and your timezone, then when someone is in need of help, you’ll get a notification on your phone ,and if you’re available, you will be connected to the person via video chat to help them with their needs.
2. Charity Miles
Have you ever wanted to run a 5k for charity but missed the deadline to sign up? Or maybe you prefer biking, walking, or even dancing. The Charity Miles app tracks your steps and their corporate sponsors donate to a charity of your choice. And now, you can get your friends to sponsor you as well.
3. OLIO
Have you ever wondered what happens to food nearing its expiration date at a local store? Or what about when you are going on vacation and have fridge full of food that’s going to go bad? Usually this stuff fills the trash cans, but not anymore! With OLIO, local businesses and people can put their surplus food (or non-food items) up for grabs. All you have to do is take a picture and post the listing. Someone in your community can see that listing and will private message you to arrange a pickup. Recycling has never felt better.
4. Golden Volunteer Opportunities
This app, named the #1 volunteer app by Google Play and iTunes, helps you find opportunities to volunteer. It’s as simple as pressing “Down to Volunteer” and seeing the places, events, and opportunities available. It also provides in-app perks like raffle-drawings and prizes for volunteering.
5. RoundUp App
Imagine that you spend $25.30 at Chick-fil-A. Roundup would set aside 70 cents ( rounding up to $26) and put it toward your choice of nonprofit at the end of the month. You can also set a minimum or maximum amount for the month, so you’re in complete control of donating. You can pause your donations at any time and restart whenever you want. Plus, all of your donations are fully tax deductible!
6. DreamLab
Did you know that while you sleep, you can contribute to cancer and COVID-19 research? DreamLab uses the powerful processing systems in smartphones to analyze data. According to the app, “A desktop computer running 24 hours a day would take decades to process the data, but a network of 100,000 smartphones running overnight could do the job in just a couple of months.” You choose the project and then you plug in your phone, connect to wifi, and go to sleep—and your phone does the work for you. It’s powered by the charity Vodafone Foundation, which was organized in 1991.
► You’ll also like: Project Read: Changing Lives Through Literacy
