We're still collecting donations
On the 23rd November 2021 we'd raised £140 with 6 supporters in 42 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
Streetpal aims to revolutionise the way in which the public donate to our homeless community in a world where cash is fast disappearing.
by Tom Glattback in London, Greater London, United Kingdom
On the 23rd November 2021 we'd raised £140 with 6 supporters in 42 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
Hello everyone, I'm Tom, the founder of Streetpal. www.streetpal.uk
After working in the card payments industry for a number of years, I have become well aware that the number of people who carry cash is rapidly falling, a trend that has been accelerated by the Covid -19 pandemic. A victim of this transition is our 280,000 + homeless community, who still very much rely on cash donations from the public. It is about time we modernised the way we support them.
I initially explored if it was possible to give homeless people their own card machines to enable them to accept public donations, however, due to complex risk and fraud regulations, the banks wouldn't allow it. Further research concluded that 95% of homeless people have their own mobile phone, of which 80% are smart phones. Then came along the idea I am asking you all to back, the Streetpal app.
So what is Streetpal?
Streetpal is an app which facilitates contactless donations direct to homeless individuals. These donations will be automatically transferred into e- vouchers which can be used in local supermarkets. The purchase of alcohol and tobacco is excluded, so the public can rest assured their donation is being spent on necessities only. The app can be downloaded for free by both homeless individuals as well as the general public.
The two main ways of donating on the Streetpal app are:
QR code donation - In this instance, only the homeless individual needs to download the app.
Online donations - In this instance, the public will also need to download the app.
QR code donation
With a click of a button, the Streetpal app will produce a QR code which is specific to the user of the app. Any member of the public can scan this code using their smart phone. A donation page will pop up allowing you to choose how much you wish to give, and thats it. Once the payment goes through, the app will automatically convert this into an e-voucher, with which they can pop into a local supermarket to exchange for food, soft drinks, or clothing. The app settings will allow them to choose a supermarket that is most convenient for them.
Online donations
Online donations require members of the general public to download the app as well. By doing so, they can search a postcode, for example, their home post code. This will bring up any homeless Streetpal users in their local area, and allow them to donate to an individual of their choice. Homeless Streetpal users will have the option to include a bio section to allow others to read their story. This will build a connection between the homeless community and the general public, encouraging repeat donations.
Benefits of the Streetpal app:
Unfortunately with donating cash, we all know that sometimes this money is spent on alcohol & drugs. With Streetpal, this issue is eliminated.
The modern world is a busy world, which is why Streetpal enables super fast transaction speeds to allow you to tap & go.
-Research shows that people tend to spend more when paying via contactless technology, which is good news for those receiving the donation.
Our long term vision?
After rolling the app out UK wide, the long term plan is to release the app on a global scale. If we can make a difference to the 280 thousand homeless people in the UK, there are a further 150 million worldwide who could also benefit from using Streetpal. Eventually, we want the app to evolve so that it not only enables homeless people to purchase food & drink, but also helps them book accommodation.
Please give what you can so that we can make an app that really makes a positive difference!
Thank you
Tom
FAQ's
QR code payments
Security
Financial
Streetpal app
We intend to partner with multiple major homeless charities to spread the word and help homeless people download the app. We will also be using targeted advertising.
Support
How can I get in contact with Streetpal?
If you have any questions or queries, please contact [email protected] and we will get back to you asap!
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