Neighbours in Need

Neighbours in Need is an App and phone service that allows people in need of assistance to be connected with those in the community looking to help. So far in Calgary, almost one hundred volunteers across the city have signed up and are ready to assist. These requests for assistance range from getting groceries, taking a dog for a walk, to emotional support, finding someone to help them get set up and play a game of virtual cards to pass the time.

The service is free, completely volunteer-run and not for profit. There are two ways that people can access support:

By calling our toll-free line at 1-888-369-6555 and one of our volunteers or team members will coordinate the request, no technology required.
For those technologically proficient you can completely self-serve by going to https://neighboursinneed.ca, signing up for an account and posting your request. From there you will receive offers of assistance and can chat and coordinate as needed.

Launched on March 30, 2020 Neighbours in Need is a platform built to facilitate acts of kindness and community involvement on a hyperlocale scale. Their mission is to create a community of helpers ready to respond to needs in their area. Everyone may feel a little helpless in these uncertain times and it can be hard to know what to do. By channeling that energy into helping others the result can be one of the best ways to help yourself and to stay positive.

The platform allows users to post requests for help that are then visually represented on a map, and others to offer to facilitate these requests. Requests are envisioned ranging from delivery of groceries and supplies through to emotional support and community engagement. The platform also allows for facilitating these requests for help through chat-based instant messaging and other tools.

Built in Calgary, the project is completely not for profit, and there are no ads or other monetization on the platform. This is truly about using technology to help bring those together who are looking to support others and to create an outlet for people during challenging times.

We invite everyone to join the community, encourage those who are in need to ask for help and remain humbled by those willing to provide offers of assistance and comfort.