The app connects people in a certain area with those in the homeless community nearby, who are suffering and in need of help, it gives people a new way to give donations to those in need with the convenience of their smartphone through the Samaritan app.
Individuals who are a part of the program are expected to wear a Bluetooth-enabled beacon that acts as a smart wallet, the money can be redeemed at various participating stores.
After seeing success initially in the Seattle area, now they will be expanding to Los Angeles.
For those who are a part of the program, they're required to meet with a counselor every month, and for some they've taken advantage of that help and it's clearly enabled them to get back on their feet, coupled with the help of donations from others.
According to research from the Medical Care journal, it's estimated that this help being given through the app is able to drastically reduce taxpayer and healthcare costs, by as much as 50 percent or more.
“Our primary outcome is unhoused individuals, improving their factors for better health and housing outcomes,... And the secondary outcome is the cultural change of helping people realize the humanity behind situations of homelessness." - Founder, J Kumar
For those who are using the app, it will alert them whenever they are nearby someone who might be participating, someone with a beacon, and the user will be able to learn their name, details about their background story, and be given the chance to donate.
Users of the app are able to give funds through the app, they can also give messages of encouragement, and even offer job opportunities etc.
Aside from the $100k that's already been raised, thousands of encouraging messages have also been sent, shared with the homeless community. Eventually, they see the app being used all around the country. There are still many people out there who need help and this offers just one more creative way to try and address the problem and help those in need.
