SAN MATEO, CA--(Marketwired - June 07, 2016) - ­­ Gladly, ​the company behind browser extensions ​Tab for a Cause​ and the Goodblock ad blocker, ​today announced users have raised a quarter of a million dollars for charity through its apps.

In celebration of the milestone, Gladly will give $1,000 for every 2 million Hearts donated to Room to Read​, a nonprofit for improving literacy and gender equality in low-income countries. Hearts are earned when users view ads on either Tab for a Cause or Goodblock and are then allocated by the user to any of Gladly's partnered charities. At the end of each quarter, a portion of the ad revenue goes to the charities based on the number of Hearts donated.

Co­-founders Alex Groth and Kevin Jennison initially started Tab for a Cause in 2011 as a side project while in college.

"Being financially strapped students, we wanted to make online giving easier regardless of one's financial situation," said Jennison. "So we thought, 'What better way to raise money for charity than by simply surfing the Web?'"

With Tab for a Cause, your new tab screen is replaced with a fully customizable page that raises money through two small ads displayed on the screen.

Its simplicity of harnessing technology to empower users to convert their habits into charitable acts has led Millennials to spread the word online.

"The majority of our users joined because they heard about it from someone online," said Groth. "Whether it's through Reddit, Tumblr or YouTube, users are sharing how much they love our apps."

And users aren't the only ones enjoying Gladly apps; so are partnered charities.

Last year, Gladly collaborated with Room to Read to promote their #ThankstoEducation initiative to celebrate 10 million children benefited through their programs. By simply opening new tab pages, users raised enough money to establish a library in the Long Thuan region of Vietnam.

"We are extremely grateful for our partnership with Gladly and for their commitment to supporting literacy and girls' education," said Susan Haynes, Senior Analyst of Global Business Development at Room to Read. "Through their apps, Gladly is making it easy and accessible for everyone to support great causes, and we're thrilled to be involved."

This, along with the rise of ad blocking adoption, led the team to launch its Goodblock ad blocker last November. The Chrome extension removes all ads and gives users the choice to see one curated ad a day; if they do, that ad raises money for charity.

"Our ad blocker tells a different story to the perceived notion that everyone hates all ads," said Groth. "On the contrary, by giving users control over their ad experience ­ in this case, the option to raise money for charity ­we're seeing an increase in ad engagement and enjoyment."

In the coming months, the team plans on rolling out their apps on more platforms.

"As more people use their smartphones to access the Internet, we're working on making donating even more accessible through mobile versions," said Groth. "We're excited to see users support their favorite causes any time of the day."

Also excited about Gladly's future projects are Vlogbrothers Hank and John Green, whose annual charity fundraiser, the ​Project for Awesome​, raised over $1.5 million last year during its two-­day livestream on YouTube.

"We have been fans since Tab for a Cause was a very small project and the amazing team have been indispensable to the Project for Awesome," said best­-selling author John Green. "I know that this is just the beginning and they will continue to do great work for years to come. I look forward to seeing them grow from this landmark moment."

For more information on Gladly and their apps, visit Tab for a Cause (http://tab.gladly.io) and Goodblock (https://goodblock.gladly.io).

About Gladly

Gladly is transforming the Internet experience by improving how online advertising is done. Its mission is to give users a choice in the ads they view, while protecting their privacy and making sure every ad serves a worthy purpose.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100303/Images/Gladly_Charity_Milestone-e4862605cbcfaa82bd8dc4d339cb07e2.jpg
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100303/Images/Goodblock_Ad_-_Nutella-d8923eae852e86b8bbb71e6a15959d31.jpg
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100303/Images/Tab_for_a_Cause_Screen-41b447b2ef3398a684f1343771fa7fa1.jpg
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100303/Images/Partner_charities_Logos-7389bcd48c679624932646d2725579ef.jpg