Earnest Labs is about inspiring innovative solutions to tricky problems.

And it was an Earnest Labs Pub Quiz that inspired this piece of insight.

“For many children in Africa having a school lunch is the difference between

getting an education and not… 

…we could use technology to enable people buying lunch in the UK, to do the

same for a child across the world”

If we can spot a problem, we can solve a problem.

The way people pay for goods and services is changing, with a 240%

increase in payments made using a contactless card since last year 

But charities have not caught up, and still rely on traditional

donation channels.

Our solution is simple. It’s called Lunchbox.

Lunchbox is a contactless donation device that gives customers the chance to make a small donation to charity each

time they use their contactless card. 

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

It’s about enabling charities to tap into the potential of contactless

payments – making the act of giving easy and habitual.

It’s easyA donation is just one tap, and the

amount is small.

We hope to create a new social norm Supporting children through Lunchbox taps

will become a natural part of buying lunch.

No pressure, just pleasure Tappers can enjoy giving without

commitment or hassle.

Right place, right timeWhat could be more natural than buying lunch

for hungry children when we’re buying lunch for our hungry selves?

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

From an idea to reality: Finding the right

technology partner.

Charity contactless donations are in their infancy, but Save the Children ran

a 100-day test. And it was a success.

Payter are the technology partner with experience in this field: most

importantly they are a small company who are excited to bring our idea to life

They could help us create a stand alone device, independent from payment

systems and completely mobile.

But they relied on a bigger network

A worthwhile cause: Finding the right charity partner

We needed a charity with a similar purpose and mission.

Mary’s Meals started in 2002 with the aim of supplying lunch to schools in

countries across the world.

Through Mary’s meals a donation of 30p is all it takes to feed a child school

lunches for a week.

That means that the average £6.60 spent a day on lunch could feed a child

for 22 weeks.

Mary’s Meals are fully on board, and aware of (and excited about)

the project at right up to board level.

We are now working with the CFO to make it happen effectively.

The trial:Kicking off 2nd May

Five shops now signed up for trial

Marketing the launch

Lunchbox gives your customers the chance to make a small donation to charity each time they use their contactless card – turning a flick of the wrist into a much bigger gesture.

What’s it all about?

How does it work?

80% of people in the UK already give to charity on a regular basis, donating over £12 billion each year to worthy causes. But as technologies adapt and evolve, it’s becoming clear that we could be doing much more to simplify the process of donating – making it a no-hassle, no-pressure spontaneous act. We want you to be part of our mission to create a way for charities to tap into the potential of contactless payments, making the act of giving easy and habitual.

Lunchbox donations go directly to our chosen charity, Mary’s Meals – supporting their school lunch programmes in developing countries.

For millions of the world’s poorest children, a school lunch is so much more than just a meal– it’s the fuel they need to stay focused and ensure their minds get fed too. And that means a brighter future.

Incredibly, in many developing counties, just 30p is enough to pay for FIVE school lunches. And we’ve set up the Lunchbox to take 30p with every tap, so your customers can give lunch to five children while they’re buying their own.

The Lunchbox is a contactless payment terminal made by our technology partner, Payter. The device is completely stand-alone so it’s not connected to your till or payment systems – it’s effectively a digital collection box that sits on your counter. Once tapped, the box gives customers a visual message thanking them for their donation. It’s as simple as that.

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623 2548 4333

£6.60

30%

is the average spend on lunch, per day, in London. That could feed a child lunch for 22 school weeks

increase in school enrolments due to lunch programmes

All you need to know

Do something beautiful

Lunchbox is a simple new way to make a big difference.

When you’re out buying lunch, you can send a meal to hungry

schoolchildren in developing countries with a tiny tap of your

contactless card.

Each tap on the Lunchbox takes a 30p gift from your card, which is

enough to give lunch to FIVE children – so they have the energy to

go to school and learn. Happy children. Lovely you.

5844 5623 2548 4333

5844 5623

2548 4333

Website and Social Channels

5 terminals25 clicks per terminal per day

30p per click£160 per month per terminal

5 terminals + 3 months

£2,400 or 197 kids fed for the year

To find out more:taplunchbox.com