# Community Development Mapping Platform (Safety, Homelessness, Neighbours Helping Each Other)

**URL:** <https://community.glideapps.com/t/community-development-mapping-platform-safety-homelessness-neighbours-helping-each-other/45180>\
**Category:** Project Showcase\
**Created:** [July 25, 2022, 3:02am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/community-development-mapping-platform-safety-homelessness-neighbours-helping-each-other/45180 "2022-07-25T03:02:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mbnownet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/mbnownet/32/37355_2.png) [@mbnownet](https://community.glideapps.com/u/mbnownet)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 3:02am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/community-development-mapping-platform-safety-homelessness-neighbours-helping-each-other/45180/1 "2022-07-25T03:02:27Z")

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I’m using Glide for Nonprofits to build a platform that I hope will literally help save lives this winter. I was homeless 13 years ago. I’ve come a long way since then, & am committed to doing what I can to give back. In 2014 I envisioned using GPS technology in mobile devices to direct citizens & outreach patrol teams to work more closely together, with citizens being able to both use a resource map to direct those in need to where they can get services & necessities for free, & to crowdsource where needs are; & volunteers able to both respond in real time, & to use historical data to plan their patrol routes more strategically & effectively (with user-submitted maps & other sensitive data only available to responding organizations). I always expected I would need to hire a developer or upgrade my programming language repertoire, but this past January I discovered Glide & learned I could build the platform myself with Glide using my existing knowledge of programming. This past winter, a number of people in my city froze to death while sleeping on the street. I decided I needed to act immediately to realize my dream & prevent that from happening again. Due to the sensitive nature of the data (which I had already begun gathering since 2015 using other GPS logging platforms), I’m not quite ready to release the app URL beyond a few Beta testers, but my website is at [http://mbnownet.ca](http://mbnownet.ca) if you’d like you know more about my vision for empowering community development. Eventually I’d like to take this international, & have discussed the potential of deploying it in other communities, including internationally, such as in Ukraine.

Here’s my story: [The RespondNOW story + Beta v. 0.71 demo (12 minutes) | mbnownet.ca - YouTube](https://youtu.be/Aeh6kiDn4Nw)

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**Author:** ![mbnownet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/mbnownet/32/37355_2.png) [@mbnownet](https://community.glideapps.com/u/mbnownet)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/community-development-mapping-platform-safety-homelessness-neighbours-helping-each-other/45180/3 "2023-07-05T14:58:03Z")

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Update: The beta is now live on its own custom domain, & will be unveiled for hopefully dozens, of my neighbours, several politicians & other community leaders, & members of the media at a community safety gathering on July 14 that I’m helping to organize at a nearby community centre.