VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — Valdosta City Schools recently announced a partnership with Purposity, an app connecting users with one-to-one needs in their community.
The partnership aims to fulfill the essential needs of students within the school district.
If you knew a kid down the street had a simple need, say she needed sneakers for school, chances are you’d help, right? But, it’s hard to know the needs of real people in your community because there’s never been a way to connect people who could really use help with people who want to offer it.
Enter a new app: Purposity. Its name comes from purpose + generosity, and it’s designed to connect the individual needs of people near you with neighbors, like you.
The vision for Purposity is to inspire us to live generously by connecting people to doing good in the same way Facebook connects us to friends and Google connects us to information.
“We live in an age when we can make a doctor’s appointment right from our phones,” said founder Blake Canterbury, “but we have no way of knowing if the family down the street has food on its table or if their children have shoes on their feet.”
Purposity looks to bridge that gap locally.
“Every day we have dozens of students who come to school without basic necessities to succeed,” stated Mrs. Beth DeLoach, assistant superintendent for student support services in Valdosta City Schools. “Our hope is that through this new partnership and this app, we can connect the generosity we know exists in our community directly to the students who need it the most.”
Dubbed 'Your Tool for Good', the Purposity app sends a weekly notification to users with a need in their area. With just a few clicks, people can satisfy needs ranging from shoes and jackets for a local student to small household items for a family that lost their home in a fire.
The app also features user profiles that track donors’ giving, allowing them to see their impact.
“We wanted to create a way for communities to connect and unite in a meaningful way,” stated Canterbury. “Our belief is that if you knew your neighbor needed help, you’d help.”
Those who sign up receive an alert with a link to a story of an individual in need and can then choose to meet that need right on their phone.
The requested item is in the hands of the organization in just a few days. It takes one notification, under a minute, and a few clicks to make a difference for a fellow community member.
For more information click here.
