Put down your phone and go volunteer in a national park. Wait! Before you do that, download a new game on your phone designed to encourage you to go volunteer in a national park.
American Express has teamed with Games for Change in a new initiative aimed at increasing public awareness and helping out the National Park Service. A free game on iOS called “Save the Park” allows users to learn about park conservation and stewardship by guiding characters through various tasks in three different parks.
Andre, Luna, Ben and Mei protect wildlife, preserve nature, and make a difference, according to a trailer for the game, which shows the little people wandering through forests and across beaches. When you’re done collecting samples or denying bears snacks in the game, “Save the Park” encourages players to find a real national park near them to volunteer in.
Games for Change created “Save the Park” with a $250,000 grant from American Express. Founded in 2004, Games for Change “is a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation and distribution of social impact games that serve humanitarian, social and educational efforts,” according to a news release.
American Express Foundation will make a $1 donation to the National Park Foundation for each download of “Save the Park” occurring on or before Dec. 31, up to $50,000. The company has made a $5 million commitment to help the Department of the Interior achieve its goal of increasing community volunteers in national parks and on public lands to 1 million annually by 2017, a release says.
