Google will allow users to donate to charities directly through the Play Store
In time for the holidays, Google will launch the ability for Android users in select countries to donate to charity organizations directly through its Google Play app store for Android devices.
The feature was announced by Maxim Mai, Google Play's Business Development Manager, in an official Google blog post. For users in Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan, and the United States, the ability to donate to the following organizations will be coming "over the next few days" (with ratings provided by Charity Navigator):
- American Red Cross (rated 84.09/100 on Charity Navigator)
- charity: water (rated 91.16/100 on Charity Navigator)
- Doctors Without Borders USA (rated 94.74/100 on Charity Navigator)
- Girls Who Code (too recent a charity to be rated on Charity Navigator, though its mission statement and key tenants are listed)
- International Rescue Committee (rated 91.16/100 on Charity Navigator)
- Room to Read (rated 91.42/100 on Charity Navigator)
- Save the Children (rated 88.30/100 on Charity Navigator)
- United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) (rated 83.94/100 on Charity Navigator)
- World Food Program USA (rated 85.41/100 on Charity Navigator)
- World Wildlife Fund US (rated 82.32/100 on Charity Navigator)
Google states that 100% of donations will be given to the requested charity, with users only needing to visit http://play.google.com/donate on an Android device of their choice in order to donate via the Google Play Store.
Further coverage: Google blog The Verge
