Want to give back in new year? These apps can help

As we look toward a new year, many of us set new goals for making a difference in the new year.

Yet it can be hard to find the time to give back by helping a cause or local organization. It can also be a challenge to hone in on where we’d be most useful.

With that in mind, AT&T has compiled a list of a few apps that can help Tampa Bay residents find local volunteer opportunities and also capitalize on some of their daily activities as tools for giving back.

Give Gab
The best way to give back to your local community can be to volunteer—but first you have to know who needs volunteers. With GiveGab, you enter your location to find volunteer opportunities near you, and narrow the search if you want to find something specific. Log your hours in the app to keep track and meet goals, even to compete with your friends.

Charity Miles
Use your morning run to donate to good causes. With Charity Miles, just open the app, choose your charity, and the app tracks the distance you run, walk, or bike. Runners and walkers earn 25¢ a mile and bikers 10¢ a mile. When you finish, simply share your results to social media and your sponsor donates the money to your chosen charity. And enjoy a day energized by both exercise and charitable giving.

Donate a Photo
If you own a smartphone, you probably use it to take the majority of your pictures. With Donate a Photo, you can use those pictures for something bigger than likes and shares — use them to help a newborn breathe, a low-income woman take control of her future, or a family get clean, safe water. Simply open the app, choose a cause, take a picture (or grab one from your camera roll), and share it to social media, giving the cause a shout-out along with your photo. For every photo, Johnson & Johnson donates a dollar to the campaign you choose.