May 20, 2008 | Read Time: 1 minute
In a twist on the new trend of so-called American Idol philanthropy — in which grant
makers ask everyday citizens to vote on which charities should receive
contributions — the Internet giant Google announced its Go for Good health
campaign.
The Mountain View, Calif., corporation is encouraging people to walk
regularly and keep track of their progress with a Google tool. Dedicated
participants will not only get healthier, but have a say in the company’s
charitable giving.
“If you finish week 15 of the [exercise] program by October 25 this year
and have completed at least half of the total walking program by then, you
can vote to tell us which of the health charities from our list should
receive part of a $100,000 donation,” writes Marissa Mayer, business’s vice
president of search products and user experience, on the Google blog.
The health charities have yet to be selected.
What do you think? Will Google’s giving incentive get people off the couch?
