Google Planning To Donate $1 Million To Education Via Android Pay Charity Drive

Google has just announced that it will be donating up to a million dollars to certain projects centered on special education, in collaboration with nonprofit DonorsChoose.org. This is part of the tech giant’s efforts to kickstart Android Pay, the mobile payment system that the company developed and launched in the United States in September earlier this year.

This marks the first time that Google has ever partnered with a non-government organization (NGO) on a campaign for mobile payment systems. This is not the first time, however, that the company has been busy with mobile related donations. Some may remember that a few years back, Google, vita its own charity brand Google.org, launched an Android mobile app called One Today, which basically allowed mobile users to donate a dollar to various organizations using their mobile devices. The One Today app still exists, although interestingly, it never managed to get more than a hundred thousand installs, perhaps a sign that mobile users are not that keen towards giving via dedicated mobile apps.

Obviously, Google is hoping that its latest effort will fare better. As explained by Google, every time a purchase is made using Android Pay from now until the end of this year, the company will be donating $1 up to $1 million. The donated funds will be channeled via DonorsChoose.org, which will be using the money to support the 6.4 million children in the US requiring special education. Moreover, Google has stated that it is planning to double its donation for every purchase made using Android Pay on Black Friday, which falls on November 27th of this year.

Google created Android Pay to rival Apple Pay, the contactless mode of payment developed by Apple. They are similar in the sense that they both make use of near field communications in facilitating payments via mobile devices. As for Android Pay, it is already supported at various retail establishments, including Aeropostale, AT&T, BJs, Babies R Us and Toys R Us, Bloomingdale’s, Express, GameStop, Macy’s, Office Depot, Sports Authority, Staples, Walgreens, and Whole Foods, among many others. Currently, there are already about a million locations across America that support Google’s Android Pay. 

As for the Android Pay charity drive, it serves a dual purpose. Apart from the charity side of things, it encourages people to try out Google’s contactless mode of payment, and for a good cause at that. Google.org has been a consistent supporter of DonorsChoose.org, and has in fact pledged $720,000 to support projects involving special education around the US.