Technology for Good: 

Frugal Innovation and Apps for the Homeless

Natalie Linnell, Silvia Figueira

Santa Clara University

Talk Outline

StreetConnectSMS Announcements Hackathon

Text messaging broadcast system for NGOs serving the homeless

Allows NGOs to send mass texts to clients who have registered

Clients can interact with system using

SMS only System built to meet specific needs of

this population

FIL and CTA partnership Started as class project College students building

technology for the homeless?

Partnership: The Frugal Innovation Lab

Research group at Santa Clara University

focused on humanitarian applicationsThe Community Technology Alliance (CTA)

San Jose-based NGO that helps other NGOs serving the homeless and low-income to adopt technology

Tech-savvy NGO and people-savvy technologists

The homeless are difficult to reach

NGOs who serve the homeless find it difficult to get information to clientsRely on word-of mouth and regular schedulesEspecially difficult for intermittent or one-time

services ○ Medical van○ Job fairs

Usual methods of advertising don’t work○ High-tech (web, email, social media) doesn’t work○ Low-tech (mailing) doesn’t work

“Medium tech”:Text messaging

Why text messaging? CTA-Conducted Survey

Homeless have cell phones, but not smart phones○ Though we expect more smart phones in the future

AA

Text alert system for NGOs and the homeless We decided to build our own solution rather

than using a commercial serviceCost Privacy issues

○ NGOs have access to sensitive information○ NGOs already host their DBs with CTA

Integration with DBs○ Hosted at CTA○ Reporting

Specific needs of the homeless population/NGOs

Our system

Clients can register and subscribe to topics through Web or SMSText “add food”

NGOs send out alerts through Web

Also developing an app version for those who do have smart phones

Specific needs of the homeless

No passwordsOne-time code

No addressBut location is important

Don’t want to give out personal infoOnly phone number is required

May not have access to Web even to register

Lessons learned from our first deployment Provide alerts in both English

and Spanish Allow client to specify a

maximum number of monthly messages sent

Some NGOs want to use something more like an email clientAlternative version for this use

caseIssue: Customization vs

generality?

Current work

Deploy more widelyCommitment to “the last mile”Many student-built projects never go beyond

prototype Transition server to CTA Come up with revenue model to offset server

costs. Expand app version to allow for pull of

information, not just push Tie in to existing HMIS database

Deploy more widelyCommitment to “the last mile”Many student-built projects never go beyond

prototype Transition server to CTA Come up with revenue model to offset server

costs. Expand app version to allow for pull of

information, not just push Tie in to existing HMIS database

Project ideas

Smartphones: CTA is working to get smartphones to distribute, and support for cheap plansHaving apps to deploy is helpful in making

this happen

Expanding Streetconnect: Hack for the Homeless

Student interest in a hackathon Next step of Streetconnect Idea: How can an app use the information

from HMIS in a pull fashion?

Proposed projects

Met with CTA, Downtown Streets Team

Clinic FinderAllowing the client to find free or low-cost

clinics that suit their needs Meal Reminders

Notifying users of when meals are available near them

Hack for the Homeless Student organized 24 hours of coding

5pm Friday to 5pm SaturdayTutorials from industry professionals and

consultation with NGO professional Friday night 50 students participated

SCU and SJSU 12 teams finished (1-4 students on each team) 7 teams won prizes

$1000, $500, $350, $350, $250, $125, Windows Phones, Android phones, external hard drives

Projects Judges from CTA, IEEE Special Interest

Group in Humanitarian Technologies, industry partners

Students came up with their own ideas!

Winning project: Homeless Helpline

Opposite direction: Lower-tech than SMSVoice interface for HMIS

User calls number, is prompted for zip code and desired service.

Text-to-speech presents the services to the user

Text message followup with address

2nd place project: Care Buddy

Android app Ties into HMIS to allow the user to

search for services Ties into google maps to show

location and directions “From the Wall” feature allows

restaurants and other organizations to post promotions, etc.

Summary Text messaging broadcast system Allows NGOs to send mass texts to clients who

have registered Clients can interact with system using text only System built to meet specific needs of this

population Next steps out of Hackathon:

Allow users to pull infoSmartphone appsVoice calls