Neighborhoods
A "Neighborhood" is a group of food donors that are connected. They will have a "Neighborhood Coordinator" that takes care of the group.
This connection is what community is all about. We've found that once a Neighborhood is established, it thrives in SimpleGesture.org.
HOW IT WORKS
It's the easiest way to bring friends and neighbors together to fight Food Insecurity. It's a grass
Step 1: The Neighborhood Coordinator provides their neighbors (or any group) a QR code or a web-link to register. As people register they join that neighborhood. They are either given a reusable green bag up front, or they use any bag or box for their first donation.
Step 2: A few days before the next food pick-up those folks get an email or text asking if they will have a bag of food out front. They simply reply yes or no.
Step 3: The people that wish to donate this time around fill a bag with foods from the "Needs List". To see the list for your neighborhood log onto your "My Site Page". Click here for log in help, you don't even need a username and password!
Step 4: The Neighborhood Coordinator (or someone they designate) comes by to pick up the food. They take to a nearby Food Bank or Pantry. And they leave behind a nice reusable bag. The card on the bag has a needs list and the next event date.
Be a Neighborhood Coordinator!
It doesn't take a lot of time and you will feel great while doing it!
A Neighborhood Coordinator may sound like a lot of work, it really isn't. It just becomes something you do when it's convenient. The system we provide does most of the work.
YOUR ROLE:
- Let us know you want to be a coordinator, we will call you and work out the area you want to cover.
- We give you a stack of cards that have a QR code and instructions for your neighbors. They scan the code to join your neighborhood. Or, you can send them an email with a link we provide you, they click that link to join your neighborhood.
- We help you sequence your stops. It's very easy, you have a list of donors and pins on a map, and you just click them to set up the order. And you only need to do this once. As more neighbors join, you just drag and drop them into the sequence you prefer.
- A couple days before the event date you get a text and email saying "your route is ready", you click the link and it shows you the addresses. There is a simple +- button to put in the # of bags.
- Your last stop on the route is the Food Bank or Pantry nearby. We will help you pick a convenient drop off location.
OUR ROLE:
- We are here to guide you step by step.
- We will print up your "Join our Neighborhood" cards and provide you with all the bags you need.
- Our system will remind your neighbors about the upcoming pick-up date. They simply reply "Yes" or "No" to our email or text.
- For those that reply yes, our system organizes them into a route. It's a 'real time' system, so if someone decides not to have a bag out front it will show on your phone. You won't waste time going to homes that don't have a bag!
- We send out a "Thank You" and a "Sorry We Missed You" right after the event. These updates also include the results from your neighborhood and the overall event, as well as their personal donation history. Everyone can see the impact!
