Donate Locate is a new app developed by creative agency Soul to avoid people not giving to the homeless.
The app was developed in connection with London homeless charity The Connection. Instead of searching through your purse for any spare change, you can now donate through your smartphone.
Donate Locate gives the option of giving £1, £3 or £5 to The Connection when you see a homeless person. At the same time, the app records your location using your phone’s GPS and sends this to the charity, so that they can identify where homeless people are.
Soul’s Director, Shaun Moran, explains the idea: “Often, we’re told not to give to homeless people on the street in case they spend the money on drugs and alcohol. However, it’s when you see them on the street that compels you to want to give. The app solves the dilemma of how to help the people you see without giving to them directly.”
Donators will receive a confirmation text message upon contributing and the money is added to their mobile operator bill or through their pre-pay account.
Moran says the app has the power to “save lives”, as homeless people will not be able to spend the money on the things that could “contribute to their early death.”
Moran adds: “The other reason to care is that you’re both raising money and saving time for a great charity. The app raises money through donations and saves time by helping the outreach team locate homeless people.”
He concludes: “Being told not to give to homeless people in the street is a well-publicised and long-running issue. Finally, here’s the solution.”1
Find Donate Locate on the App Store.
1 Moran, S. (2015) ‘Homeless app to help save lives’, Metro, 19 May, p.37