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You can change lives just by sharing one photo. Here's how.

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Johnson & Johnson - Donate a Photo

You take so many photos every day. Wouldn't it be great if the photos you take of the people, places and things you love could also do some good?

Believe it or not, humans take over one trillion photos every year. We document births and weddings, holidays and graduations, and so, so many selfies (don't worry about anything, you look amazing!). While just the act of taking photos can be a joy, your photos can do much more than document your best memories. In fact, sharing your photos can actually improve the health of people all around the world.

[rebelmouse-image 19346087 dam="1" original_size="750x500" caption="Photo by rawpixel/Unsplash" expand=1]Photo by rawpixel/Unsplash

Johnson & Johnson's Donate a Photo app allows you to do just that with your selfies, photos of dogs, food from that fancy restaurant you tried last week, or anything else you snap photos of.

All you need to do is download the app and share a photo, and Johnson & Johnson will donate one dollar per picture to causes you care about. What's more, when you share your donated photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, it creates a ripple effect. You’ll make others aware of the causes you care about, and maybe inspire them to join in, too.

Johnson & Johnson has carefully selected partner organizations that do everything from delivering vaccines  to children around the globe to helping young, underserved children preserve and improve their sight to connecting service members with their families while they're deployed.

The program has helped people like Lucy Cotto, an Operation Smile ambassador, who received a life-changing cleft palate correction surgery to heal her smile.

Lucy Cotto and a photo donated via Donate a Photo user. Photo via Johnson & Johnson

Since the program's inception, more than 200,000 people have shared nearly 4 million photos, which in turn have helped people all around the world get easier access to the essential treatments and services they need.

The app's success is based on one simple premise: that when lots of people work together to do good, those small acts add up to big change.

We all want to do good in our lives, and it always feels like we could be doing more, but time and (often) finances make that a difficult proposition. Donate a Photo makes it easy to give to a number of causes that are changing people's lives for the better.

Johnson & Johnson's longhistory of commitment to human health and bringing people together to make the world a better place makes it easy to trust that the photos you share will make an impact.

And that impact can be felt across a wide spectrum of health-related areas. Here are just a few of them.

Donate a Photo has raised enough money to help 2,304 children in need of cleft palate corrections. They've also made it possible for over 67,000 children around the world to receive much needed vaccines via donations to the Shot@Life.  And more than 55,000 infants were able to take their first breaths thanks to resuscitation devices from Save the Children.

What's more, Johnson & Johnson is making it possible for the healers of tomorrow to learn the valuable skills they'll need. Through the power of your photos, they've been able to help The National Student Nurses' Association provide 133 future nurses with scholarships that will help them achieve their goals in their chosen fields.  

Helen Pham — a FNSNA scholarship candidate and a photo donated via Donate a Photo user. Photo via Johnson & Johnson.

So the next time you take a photo, remember you could be saving so much more than an awesome memory.

Our photos connect us with our family and friends by capturing the good times. Now, those good times can help transform the world into a healthier place.

That place now has people like Helen Pham, who's getting her nursing degree thanks to Johnson & Johnson's partnership with the FNSNA, and babies who don't ever have to worry about taking their first breaths. And it wouldn't be possible without innovations that connect us all.

Whether you share a photo of your dog, your cat, your kid, or your favorite vacation spot, there's one thing you can remember: It only takes a second to make a difference. That power is in your hands.

Learn more about the Donate a Photo app in the video below:

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Prudential
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Meet the 18-year-old advocating for teen mental health, one inspiring podcast at a time

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

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A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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