Y1NW - cantCode() - Good Samaritan

User Profile
Organization Profile

Inspiration

Cities thrive when people help each other, yet most citizens rarely know where their help is needed. We wanted to make community service feel exciting, social, and rewarding. Inspired by apps like Pokémon Go and Duolingo, we set out to create a mobile experience that turns local volunteering and civic engagement into an accessible, gamified adventure.

What it does

Good Samaritan connects people with nearby community requests in real time. Organizations and city partners can post small local missions, such as cleaning parks, delivering donations, or reporting hazards. Users explore a map, choose missions, and complete them to earn points, badges, and climb leaderboards. Every action directly supports city inclusivity, safety, and sustainability.

How we built it

We built Good Samaritan using React Native for a fast and responsive mobile interface. The backend is powered by AWS Lambda and DynamoDB, providing a serverless and scalable infrastructure. Python handles the backend logic, including mission management and user progress tracking.

Challenges we ran into

One of our biggest challenges was designing a system that felt like a game while maintaining civic purpose. Balancing playful UI elements with meaningful social impact required careful iteration. Integrating real-time map updates and AWS Lambda triggers also proved technically demanding within the 24-hour timeframe.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud that we built a fully functional prototype that allows users to view nearby missions, accept them, and track their progress. The system is scalable and ready for future city partnerships. We also managed to design an engaging interface that encourages civic participation without losing sight of the hackathon’s theme.

What we learned

We learned how to combine social innovation with technical design, how to use AWS tools effectively for scalable prototypes, and how to create a gamified experience that motivates users to take real-world action. Most importantly, we learned that technology can be a powerful bridge between citizens and their communities.

What's next for Good Samaritan

We plan to partner with local nonprofits and city departments to pilot Good Samaritan in Calgary. Next steps include adding image verification for completed missions, a reputation system for users, and an AI-driven recommendation engine that matches people with causes that align with their interests. Our goal is to build more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities through everyday acts of kindness.