Brokerage firm Charles Schwab & Co. is creating a positive image in San Francisco by partnering with an application in which users interact with an ad to extract a donation to the Boys & Girls clubs.

Consumers are raising money for charities by engaging with ads of participating brands, such as Charles Schwab, that will donate one dollar to charity on the users’ behalf via the app Tinbox. The app’s debut in San Francisco is led by Charles Schwab and is donating to the Boys & Girls clubs in one-dollar increments prompted from users.

“Existing advertising mediums invade people’s online experiences,” said Adrien Guilmineau chief executive officer at Tinbox. “This makes it difficult for companies to effectively engage people.

“With Tinbox, companies are creating an online experience that people love, rather than intruding one,” he said. “It creates the opportunity for companies to effectively communicate their values in a way people will remember.”

Mobile donations
Charles Schwab has agreed to donate $50,000 to the Boys & Girls club in San Francisco, the city in which the company is based, through donations within the Tinbox app. The localized app is rolling out to various cities around the U.S., and is allowing users to donate money from brands to local charities.

Users in San Francisco will now be able to select the option for Charles Schwab to donate one dollar to the Boys & Girls club. The idea is to get consumers to interact with brands for a bigger impact and donate to charity without having to dip into their own wallets.

Each user can select a dollar a day to a charity, and Charles Schwab will continue its donation until it hits its $50,000 cap. Users will have to option to follow along with their donations to see the exact impact it has caused.

For example, if users choose to send donations from a brand to fund a new hospital, they can follow along with the journey until the location is complete. Users can also build scores and earn badges.

Donations from Charles Schwab to the San Francisco Boys & Girls Clubs will support a program for young individuals with difficult circumstances and are looking to make a difference.

Nonprofits and mobile
Rue La La similarly paused sales through its mobile app and Web site on June 24 to commemorate victims of the attack at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, with the exception of a t-shirt, sales of which benefited nonprofits that help bridge racial divides (see more).

Also, apparel brand and retailer Guess partnered with Peace Over Violence for Denim Day today, raising awareness and funds to combat sexual violence while driving online sales and its brand image (see more).

“[Tinbox] makes the ad very powerful,” Mr. Guilmineau said. “The ad content is adding true value to the lives of people who see it.

“The content is empowering them,” he said. “Consumers want to engage with it.”