We all know how fast-paced our lives are these days, and how tough it is to find time to do the things we need to do, much less those we want to do! Thankfully, the dawn of the smart phone has allowed us increased flexibility and opportunities to connect. We certainly use our phones to do work, play games, talk to our loved ones, and connect via social media, but did you know you can volunteer on your phone too? The next time you’re sitting at the airport or on the bus, or just stuck at home on a rainy day, try out these four fun and engaging ways to connect with your community and help those in need! You might even find you improve your vocabulary or geography skills in the process!

1. Free Rice – This is a great site for brushing up on some vocabulary or math facts while you help those in need! Free Rice generates multiple choice questions on a variety of subjects, and for every question you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to those experiencing hunger! The more you get right, the tougher the questions get, and the larger the impact you can have! This game is fun for the whole family, and is a great way to help kids learn material and test taking skills.
2. The Rainforest Site – On this site, you can click the button to donate money to protecting the rainforest and funding research. But there is more! This site provides lots of great resources through which you can learn more about the rainforest and how you can act to protect it.
3. The Hunger Site – Similar to the rainforest site, this site allows you to simply ‘click’ to have money donated to solving global hunger issues. Furthermore, this site has lots of wonderful fair trade products, accessories, clothing items, and books available for purchase. In addition to your click, you can participate in some ethical purchasing!
4. KIVA – KIVA is a micro-lending site that has made huge waves in terms of global impact. KIVA allows individuals to donate small amounts of money that help other individuals globally. KIVA lenders combat poverty daily by making small loans to borrowers around the world. You can become a lender and make a great impact globally – all from your smart phone!

How do you use your smart phone to have a positive impact? Let us know!