Inspiration
The motivation for building this project was that we wanted to be able to help nonprofits help the people who are in need, without over-exerting resources and businesses, and providing a safe way for those who are in need to be able to get the help they require.
What it does
Our project allows users to search for nonprofits and other places in which they can receive legal or medical counseling, or food banks and shelters. This website provides a specialized searching system which reduces noise, and also maintains anonymity of users, meaning that we store limited information about that cannot be traced back to the user. We have features, such as allowing for users to add custom points for nonprofits/places that are able to help those in need, as well an upvoting system which allows users to determine the reliability of certain resources. Admins and service providers are able to add verified information through Google Forms.
How we built it
We built this web app using a FlaskAPI backend and React frontend, allowing for easy backend querying and a responsive UI. We made an interactive map overlay and search system using GoogleMapsAPI, and stored locations onto a local database using SQLite. We also implemented Google Spreadsheet scraping and parsing for continuous extraction of resource data provided by the Urban Refuge team.
Challenges we ran into
One of the main issues we ran into was integrating our backend server with our frontend server, as many projects go. We had to make sure that we were passing and taking in all the right data types and structures, as well as thoroughly test both sides separately and concurrently. We stayed up the entire night working on this, and are so proud of what we've accomplished.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of coming together with an working end-to-end viable product that demonstrates much of the functionality that we set up to accomplish: an interactive map overlay and a comprehensive search algorithm. Above all, we're proud to have been able to make something that could really connect people to the help they need and make a lasting impact.
What we learned
We learned many new technologies that our members each not used before such as SQLite and GoogleMapsAPI, as well as furthered our React skills for building such a demanding visual interface
What's next for Growing Communities with Urban Refuge
We're excited for how the community will use this resource and how it can be further improved for a better reach and impact! Much of our focus was making this as user-friendly for both the end user and service providers/student adminstrators as possible, so that we can all contribute to a growing, diverse community.
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