App of the Week: Charity Miles
This week's SmartPhone App lets you raise funds for well-known organizations by simply completing your daily fitness routine.
Technology, fitness and the human spirit have combined to create a fitness App that helps not only athletes, but the neediest members of our society.
Charity Miles is a free download that tracks your mileage while biking, walking or running—and allows you to earn money for various charities simply by completing your workout.
Using the App is quite simple—after downloading, you create a brief profile before choosing one of three activities—bike, walk or run. Once the activity is selected, the user can determine which of 24 charities they want their workout to benefit.
Your SmartPhone's GPS system tracks your mileage, and offers a short summary at the completion of your routine. Once you've shared your progress via Facebook or Twitter, the company donates money on your behalf to your selected charity. Bikers earn 10 cents per mile, while walkers and runners earn 25 cents for each mile.
Charity Miles will donate up to its initial $1 million corporate sponsorship pool, all the while working to bring in additional investors to keep the App going strong for the future. Their work hasn't gone unnoticed, as the company was recognized with the SXSW Dewey Wilburne Interactive Award. Charity Miles has also received two Ignite Good Milennial Impact Grants from The Huffington Post and Heartfelt Foundation.
Since its launch last summer, over 55,000 users have helped Charity Miles raise over $130,000 for various well-known charities. Join in by downloading the App on iTunes.
If you have used a fitness or health-related smartphone app you'd like to see featured, e-mail sportsdoc@philly.com.
Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.