We appreciate the feedback from everyone, and the exposure. This is a challenging issue to attempt to address using technology, and we know our solution is far from perfect. Thank you for helping us to get a bit closer.
We built WeShelter as the simplest method to allow people to act on their empathetic response to the issue of homelessness and to the human beings they encounter that need help. We hope that by offering WeShelter, more people will do something, and over time will become more involved in addressing the issue through volunteerism and direct giving.
Our 2.0 roadmap already includes many of the insights that folks have pointed out here, including highlighting community activity over individual performance, illustrating value of donations given, and feedback on the good work being done by partner organizations that serve the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless. We're also expanding beyond NYC, and seeking to partner more closely with organizations that do homeless outreach to reduce the friction of requesting assistance for an individual.
In addition to the great video NowThisNews put together for us, we recently were featured on Fox News: http://video.foxnews.com/v/46734...
WeShelter is an entirely volunteer-run, non-profit organization. Thank you to everyone who has contributed.
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Homeless people need food and shelter and that is a housing issue. I have seen some amazing things being done in NYC with 300 SF units that can be had cheaply. I am considering looking at building those in cities like Vegas and SF to help build homes and opportunities for the homeless. Imagine a building where the first levels were restaurants or other labor related businesses that fed and houses the homeless. This app could help fund a homeless person. Make it personal. Give the homeless a voice and a chance to have people digitally support them.
I believe the homeless issue in America needs some attention. Not sure if this app addresses that yet they are trying to solve a huge problem. Especially in SF. You see so many people in such a bad place on the streets.
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Either do something or don't about homelessness. Someone did, and I'm glad that that's happened.
"Gamifying" homelessness is an interesting way to improve the lives of down-and-out people, but it's not at all the most humanistic way of approaching a longstanding problem in American society.
I'm curious about the transparency of this app, particularly with regards to how it uses the funds collected, the nonprofits that use the funds thereof, and how secure the donation process is.
It is in poor taste to consider the poor and destitute as pawns in a sort of game for social recognition, and to use them for the blatantly selfish and self-serving philanthropy that animates the charitable economy of the US. The whole point is to end these social problems, not to alleviate our moral panic over them by using an app. If you don't like seeing the homeless on the street, get out there and volunteer your time and energy for better jobs and housing vouchers for the homeless.
Again, either do something or don't.
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Encouraging people to not only see but also seek out people who are homeless will be a critical first step towards reducing the number of homeless people on the streets. (No doubt the app has issues in concept, though.)
WeShelter
Savvy