Innovative technology will allow Walk to End Alzheimer’s participants to experience Promise Garden from their phones.

AUSTIN, TX (November 2, 2021) – Charity Dynamics, a provider of online marketing and fundraising solutions to nonprofits, and Rock Paper Reality, an augmented reality development and consulting agency, have worked with the Alzheimer’s Association to bring a new, innovative augmented reality experience to participants in the Association’s signature Walk to End Alzheimer’s, currently taking place in more than 600 communities across the country.

The new feature, built using Unity (NYSE: U), the world’s leading platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D (RT3D) content, provides participants and donors the opportunity to create and build their own virtual Promise Garden on the Association’s mobile fundraising app. The Promise Garden ceremony is a powerful and moving experience at in-person Walk to End Alzheimer’s events. During the ceremony, Walk participants hold flowers of different colors, representing their individual reason for walking. Flower colors represent people living with Alzheimer’s, people who have lost someone to the disease, people who are serving as caregivers and people who support the cause. The dynamic and colorful Promise Garden unites participants and highlights the strong sense of community and connection experienced at each Walk.

The new augmented reality feature allows Walk to End Alzheimer’s participants to participate in the Promise Garden Ceremony from their own phone. By accessing the feature through the Walk app, participants can choose a flower color and add a personal message about their reason for walking. Participants can also view the flowers “planted” and the messages shared by others as they pop up on their phone’s camera screen.

“We’re excited for participants to create their own Promise Gardens to honor not only those living with Alzheimer’s but all the people affected by this devastating disease – family caregivers, friends and local community members,” said Wendy Vizek, Vice President, Field Operations and Constituent Events at Alzheimer’s Association. “It’s a beautiful way to show just how large and caring our Alzheimer’s community is.”

“Working with the Alzheimer’s Association and Rock Paper Reality to provide this tremendous augmented reality experience has been especially gratifying,” said Meghan Dankovich, general manager of Charity Dynamics. “In mimicking what happens at the live events, the app Promise Garden allows participants to take part in an important aspect of the overall event experience, ensuring they can have that same feeling of community, of connection to something greater than themselves.”

“This is a first-of-its-kind for augmented reality,” said Rock Paper Reality’s CEO, Patrick Johnson. He pointed out that the Promise Garden takes augmented reality in a new direction as well. “Often, augmented reality is more of an individual experience that doesn’t bring people together. With the Alzheimer’s Association’s Promise Garden, it does. It’s a living experience—something that you can return to day after day since the garden updates and “grows” as people plant flowers and make their dedications. What makes it particularly special is how it emphasizes the importance of community and mission.”

“This augmented reality Promise Garden represents a fantastic example of the ingenuity of its creators around a deeply personal subject for many,” said Jessica Lindl, Vice President, Social Impact at Unity. “It shows a way in which those touched by Alzheimers can share in a sense of community and create meaningful tributes to loved ones. I’m always in awe of the ways Unity’s technology is being used to drive meaningful social change — from creators who are reimagining what they want this world to look like and advocating for a better future.”

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app is available for iPhone and Android. Click here to learn more about the app.

About The Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is a voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia^®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

About Charity Dynamics

Charity Dynamics is a strategy, fundraising and online marketing firm for nonprofit organizations. Our staff has over 175 years’ experience working directly for nonprofits, working with organizations of all sizes, including some of the biggest names in the nonprofit and foundation world. Charity Dynamics delivers what charities need to help fulfill their missions: more awareness, supporters, engagement and donations. Our solutions include strategic consulting, creative services, fundraising solutions, and innovative technologies. At Charity Dynamics, our mission is to fulfill yours. For more information, please email info@charitydynamics.com.

About Rock Paper Reality

Rock Paper Reality is an immersive technology design agency that works with companies to improve brand awareness and drive deeper communications with customers. Founded in 2017, RPR works with consumer and enterprise companies: from those just beginning to explore AR to those in need of a global rollout. Key industries include AR marketing, education, entertainment, and retail. RPR leadership has over a decade of experience working in the trenches of AR product and content development. The RPR team has delivered dozens of successful AR products and applications and received over a dozen technology patents in headworn and AR. RPR has offices in Silicon Valley and Copenhagen. For more information, contact us at hello@rockpaperreality.com or visit us at https://rockpaperreality.com/