Neighbourly Things

Inspiration Neighbourly Things started with a simple yet powerful motto:

"Treat others how you want to be treated."

In my city of Guelph, Ontario, we see a recurring problem: people in need of small acts of help — like groceries aids, rides, or home support — but no easy way to connect with neighbors willing to lend a hand. Cities have programs in place to attempt to help with this but they lack the technological edge to get the job done. I believe that building community starts with mutual aid made easy, trusted, and meaningful. That idea sparked Neighbourly Things.

H2 What it does Neighbourly Things is a mutual aid app that connects people who need help with nearby volunteers (called “Helpers”) based on location, availability, and type of task.

It includes: A location-based task feed, A weekly availability calendar for Helpers, Gamification with karma points & unlockable badges, Optional thank-you notes and star ratings after tasks, Repeat scheduling for recurring needs, A built-in reporting system and admin dashboard, Personalized dashboards showing impact and recognition. It’s a mobile-first experience designed to make community care intuitive, safe, and scalable.

How I built it The app is powered by Supabase for: Authentication & role-based access, Realtime database with Row-Level Security, Storage for helper images and notes, Edge functions for badge automation and recurring task creation

The frontend was built using Bolt.new, a modern, React-based low-code builder that enabled rapid UI/UX development with: Clean routing, Optimized mobile design, Component-based structure for easy iteration, Together, we created a real-time, gamified platform with safety, speed, and simplicity baked in.

Challenges I ran into Getting location permissions to behave consistently across devices and browsers. Implementing RLS policies that were both secure and flexible for different user roles. Avoiding duplicate records with recurring task automation. Balancing gamification with meaningful, respectful community interaction. Ensuring testing scenarios reflected real-world friction and edge cases. claiming bonus tokens so i had to be resourceful.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of: Fully functional role-based flows for Helpers and Recipients. A real-time system for accepting, completing, and rating tasks. A complete moderation and admin dashboard system. Auto-awarded badges tied to behavioral triggers (e.g., “First Helper,” “Helping Streak”). A beautiful, warm interface that makes participation feel joyful. A complete weekly availability engine for volunteers — built from scratch

What I learned: Supabase can replace a complex backend stack if RLS and triggers are thoughtfully architected. Design matters — even small animations and micro-interactions increase engagement and trust. Trust systems (ratings, badges, thank-you notes) boost both participation and retention. A low-code frontend like Bolt.new can dramatically speed up iteration without sacrificing flexibility

What's next for Neighbourly Things In-app messaging to facilitate communication between helpers and recipients. Volunteer onboarding and orientation tools. Localized beta testing in Guelph before expanding to other communities. scaling this to cities and townships across ontario in canada and creating a blueprint for lending a helping hand as to neighbors all around.