Google Updates One Today App To v1.5 With ‘Pay It Forward’ Option So Others Can Determine Which Causes Your Money Goes Toward

Most of Google’s apps offer ways for us to enhance the quality of our own lives, whether it’s through improved communication, managing documents, or just browsing the web through Chrome. One Today, an Android app the company launched over a year ago, turns this around by empowering us to actively help others instead. The core idea here is to donate a dollar a day to a different charity (today’s is an adopt an afternoon lesson program through Develop Africa), but there’s no reason to stop there. The more generous among us (or those with extra money) can choose to donate elsewhere, and with the latest app update, there’s a new “Pay It Forward” option so that people can provide funds for others to allocate.

Version 1.5 of One Today highlights the new feature in the sidebar at launch. By default it provides options of $2, $5, and $10, but you’re able to donate anything up to $25. Google will then allocate this money for other people to donate towards causes, and you won’t be charged until they do.

  

Paying it forward, in this context, obviously isn’t for everyone, but it can help draw attention to projects, and it can bring in people who want to donate but just can’t afford to do so right now. At the end of the day, you still know your money is going towards something good, even if you don’t have the final say in where it ends ups.

The update also brings in a few other enhancements, such as notifications that appear when someone matches your donation. It’s a short change log, but here’s the full list.