In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, a local tech entrepreneur has launched an online tool to connect willing volunteers with vulnerable members of our community. The website, , was created by Sam Chandola, founder of V2 Games and the startup development company Audacia Ventures.听
The purpose of the online tool is straightforward 鈥� to connect those with a high-risk of contracting COVID-19, such as seniors or those with pre-existing conditions, to volunteers who are willing to deliver supplies, such as groceries and medicine. The service enables individuals to continue self-isolating and not risk being out in public in order to restock their essential supplies.
鈥淚 believe that human beings are largely good and want to help each other, especially in times of crisis,鈥� said Chandola. 鈥淔or every person who is profiteering from hoarding hand sanitizers, there are 10 out there who are willing to help.鈥�
The idea for the website came to Chandola after seeing people in his own social network offering help online. 鈥淚 saw several online posts from people willing to help those who are at most risk, but the only way someone in need could connect with them was if they already knew them. What about those people who are not in their network and still need help?鈥�
鈥淢y whole career, I鈥檝e used technology to solve problems,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 know there are good people out there who want to help and there definitely are people that need help, so we asked, 鈥榃hat could we build to connect the two together?鈥欌��
After building the website over the course of a week, it was launched Tuesday morning and already more than 200 people have signed up as volunteers. Users of the website select either 鈥淚 can help鈥� or 鈥淚 need help,鈥� before filling out their name, email and postal code. When somebody requests help, the site鈥檚 algorithms automatically send out contact details to the closest registered volunteers.
Once there is a match, the participants are invited to connect, but Chandola encourages users to engage in conversation before deciding to trust someone they haven鈥檛 met with their home address. 鈥淛ust like everything else on the internet, there will be lots of good and some bad,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e ask people to use reasonable discretion when using the platform.鈥�
Chandola empathizes with those who have been marginalized and left isolated by the threat of the COVID-19 virus. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 even imagine what it must be like. It鈥檚 probably extremely hard for someone to be in that situation,鈥� he said. 鈥淏oth of my parents live in New Delhi, which is quite far away. For people like them, whose family may not be really close to them, how and where would that support system come from?鈥�
For those in a high-risk category of succumbing to the virus, this service helps to assist them avoid unnecessary travel and potential exposure. It also facilitates those in the community that want to help those who need it most right now, says Chandola. 听
鈥淚t aims to bring out the best in humanity,鈥� he said.
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Note: This story has been updated since first published.
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