Hinge Announces $1 Million Fund to Help Gen Z Build Community In-Person

Rhea-AI Summary

Hinge (HINGE) launches One More Hour™ initiative to combat loneliness among Gen Z with a $1M fund for social groups in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York City. The program aims to provide in-person connection opportunities, addressing the 1,000-hour annual decline in in-person connection time for young adults. Hinge partners with DoSomething Strategic and the Foundation for Social Connection to develop impact benchmarks and identify organizations, with grants up to $25,000 for select social groups.

NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Hinge is announcing One More Hour™ — a new social impact initiative mobilizing Gen Z to add more in-person connection to their lives. The program launches with a $1M fund dedicated to tackling the loneliness epidemic by providing grants to social groups and organizations helping Gen Z find belonging and community in person.

Hinge's new One More Hour™ social impact initiative is mobilizing Gen Z to add more in-person connection to their lives.

Compared to two decades ago, today's young adult has 1,000 fewer hours of in-person connection time each year, especially due to a lack of accessible third spaces.¹ Starting in January 2024, One More Hour will provide individual grants in amounts up to $25,000 to select social groups in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York City that provide Gen Z with fresh, affordable, and recurring in-person opportunities to connect with others.

Hinge is working with DoSomething Strategic and the Foundation for Social Connection to develop impact benchmarks for the program and identify the organizations. Additionally, One More Hour will work with a group of Gen Z judges to select the final awardees of the grants.

"Adding more time to connect in person with others is one of those things that's easy to say, but is actually a little challenging to do," said Josh Penny, Hinge's Director of Social Impact. "Social clubs and groups offer young adults the chance to plug into recurring moments of connection and to find community along the way. With One More Hour's new fund, we simply want to make these important resources more accessible."

Hinge has a committed history of tackling loneliness and facilitating meaningful in-person connections by working with its in-house experts and partners to empower people with the necessary tools, resources, and tips they need. This year, the company joined the Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness, collaborating with other brands and organizations to advocate for policies and initiatives to reduce loneliness. The company also supports the Crisis Text Line in expanding its resources on loneliness so that young adults can more effectively access support. Additionally, Hinge recently collaborated with the Foundation for Social Connection to create a Distraction-Free Dating Guide and worked closely with the Surgeon General to help combat loneliness for daters during the pandemic.

To learn more about Hinge's One More Hour fund, please visit hinge.co/onemorehour.

How to apply:

• Starting in January 2024, Hinge is hosting an open call to 501(c)3 or fiscally sponsored organizations in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York City to apply for grants from $10,000 to $25,000 each
• Applications open on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, at hinge.co/onemorehour and close on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024
• Hinge will track the number of connections made through the funded programs and conduct surveys to measure the impact on participants' well-being.

About Hinge:
The Dating App Designed To Be Deleted®: Hinge is on a mission to create a less lonely world by inspiring intimate, in-person connections. Through in-depth and personalized profiles, daters have unique conversations that get them off the app and out on great dates. And it's resonating. In 2022, Hinge was the fastest-growing dating app in the US, UK, and Canada. Hinge was acquired by Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH) in 2018.

About The Foundation for Social Connection
The Foundation for Social Connection's (F4SC) vision is for all Americans to have the opportunities and evidence-based support necessary to be socially engaged in society. F4SC engages in education, increases public awareness, promotes innovative research, and spurs the development and implementation of evidence-based models that address social isolation, loneliness, and social connection. For more information, please visit: www.social-connection.org

About DoSomething Strategic
DoSomething Strategic (DSS) is the social impact consultancy of DoSomething.org. Using data and insights derived from over 8 million young people taking action on DoSomething.org, DSS supports mission-aligned brands and organizations in developing more effective social impact strategies.

¹ According to a University of Rochester study

 

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SOURCE Hinge Inc.

FAQ

What is Hinge (HINGE) announcing?

Hinge is announcing the launch of the One More Hour™ initiative, a social impact program aimed at combatting loneliness among Gen Z.

What is the focus of the One More Hour™ initiative?

The focus of the initiative is to add more in-person connection to the lives of Gen Z by providing grants to social groups and organizations.

How much is the fund allocated for the One More Hour™ initiative?

Hinge has allocated a $1M fund for the initiative.

Which organizations will receive grants from the One More Hour™ initiative?

Select social groups in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York City will receive individual grants in amounts up to $25,000.

Who is Hinge partnering with for the One More Hour™ initiative?

Hinge is partnering with DoSomething Strategic and the Foundation for Social Connection to develop impact benchmarks and identify the organizations.

What is the goal of the One More Hour™ initiative?

The goal is to tackle the loneliness epidemic among Gen Z by providing fresh, affordable, and recurring in-person connection opportunities.

What is Hinge's history in addressing loneliness?

Hinge has a committed history of tackling loneliness and facilitating meaningful in-person connections, collaborating with other brands and organizations to advocate for policies and initiatives to reduce loneliness, and supporting resources for young adults to access support.

How is Hinge working to combat loneliness during the pandemic?

Hinge has collaborated with the Foundation for Social Connection to create a Distraction-Free Dating Guide and worked closely with the Surgeon General to help combat loneliness for daters during the pandemic.