Business

Naperville couple launches angel app for iPhone

Posted December 04, 2014 12:01 am

By Anna Marie Kukec

While some people carry a guardian angel-adorned coin, medal or pin as a symbol of prayer and faith, a Naperville couple said they have modernize the practice.

Instead of an "angel in your pocket," Jeanne and David Buddingh, who also own their own marketing firm in Naperville, have founded a new app development company called Saints Be With Us, which has launched its first app, Angel In My Phone for iPhone.

The app, that costs 99 cents to download, lets you give a loved one a virtual angel along with a chosen prayer from a prayer list or the ability to create your own prayer. The prayers can recognize an important day, occasion or just because. Recipients keep their angel and prayer on their Apple mobile device to view as often as they like.

"Today, as in the past, we continue to see angels as a symbol of protection and faith. Often times we give them as gifts to show loved ones that they are in our prayers. The Angel In My Phone app was created to combine this timeless tradition with modern technology. The Angel In My Phone serves as a reminder to all that carry it that they are not alone," David Buddingh said.

The Buddinghs first thought about creating the app about two years ago.

"We were at a Hallmark store and noticed the little tokens featuring angels on the counter and I remembered being a child carrying a similar 'angel in my pocket' token. David's question was: 'How do you translate that tradition of carrying an angel token in your pocket in today's technically savvy world?' We thought something on your iPhone seemed a natural," Jeanne Buddingh said.

The app was then modeled almost like the greeting card business model. It allows you to send a prayer or an angel for birthdays, birth of a child, Christmas, as you would do with a greeting card.

"Our hope would be that people would 'gift the app' to others, like a mother sending an angel for safe travel to her children," she said.

The Buddinghs then worked with Scott Swoboda of Stratum Development Inc. in Wheaton to create the app.

"Angels have always been a part of our lives," she said. "With life's ups and downs, the constant of having that guardian angel beside you makes the hard times more bearable and the good times more joyful."

• Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter. Write to her at akukec@dailyherald.com.

COURTESY OF JEANNE & DAVID BUDDINGHA Naperville couple has launched a new app called Angel in My Pocket for iPhone.

Jeanne and David Buddingh of Naperville have created and launched a new app called Angel in My Phone, so you can symbolically carry your guardian angel or a prayer in your phone. For 99 cents, you can give a loved one a virtual angel along with a chosen prayer from a prayer list or create your own prayer. COURTESY OF JEANNE AND DAVID BUDDINGH

Jeanne and David Buddingh of Naperville created and launched a new app called Angel in My Phone, so you can symbolically carry your guardian angel or a prayer in your phone. This is a screen image from the app that modernizes the tradition of carrying a guardian angel adorned coin, token, medal or pin with you as a symbol of protection and faith. For 99 cents, you can give a loved one a virtual angel along with a chosen prayer from a prayer list or create your own prayer. COURTESY OF JEANNE AND DAVID BUDDINGH

Jeanne and David Buddingh of Naperville have created and launched a new app called Angel in My Phone, so you can symbolically carry your guardian angel or a prayer in your phone. This is a screen image from the app that modernizes the tradition of carrying a guardian angel adorned coin, token, medal or pin with you as a symbol of protection and faith. COURTESY OF JEANNE AND DAVID BUDDINGH

Article Comments

Article Categories
Business Chicago Communities Illinois Information Technology Naperville News Region

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.