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StreetConnect – SMS Announcements for Homeless People

StreetConnect – SMS Announcements for Homeless People. Silvia Figueira , Natalie Linnell , Nicholas Fong Santa Clara University. Text messaging broadcast system for NGOs serving the homeless. Allows NGOs to send mass texts to clients who have registered

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StreetConnect – SMS Announcements for Homeless People

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  1. StreetConnect – SMS Announcements for Homeless People Silvia Figueira, Natalie Linnell, Nicholas Fong Santa Clara University

  2. 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

  3. FIL and CTA partnership • College students building technology for the homeless? • Partnership: • The Frugal Innovation Lab Research group at Santa Clara University focused on humanitarian applications • The 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

  4. The homeless are difficult to reach • NGOs who serve the homeless find it difficult to get information to clients • Rely on word-of mouth and regular schedules • Especially 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

  5. Why text messaging? • CTA-Conducted Survey • Homeless have cell phones, but not smart phones A A

  6. Text alert system for NGOs and the homeless • We decided to build our own solution rather than using a commercial service • Cost • 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

  7. Our system • Clients can register and subscribe to topics through Web or SMS • Text “add food” • NGOs send out alerts through Web • Also developed an app version for those who do have smart phones

  8. Specific needs of the homeless • No passwords • One-time code • No address • But location is important • Don’t want to give out personal info • Only phone number is required • May not have access to Web even to register

  9. 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 client • Alternative version for this use case

  10. Future work • Deploy more widely • Commitment 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.

  11. 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

  12. Thanks! Questions?

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