The face of the economic crisis

Today I just want to share with you this news. Homeless woman's plea to Obama draws flood of support. That is some thing encouraging.

Henrietta Hughes said to president Obama:
"I have an urgent need, unemployment and homelessness, a very small vehicle for my family and I to live in," she said. "The housing authority has two years’ waiting lists, and we need something more than the vehicle and the parks to go to. We need our own kitchen and our own bathroom. Please help."

A web site has been setup for Henrietta (http://henriettahughes.com)



This is just one example that is facing a difficult time at this critical time, while the government is evaluating its options and trying to do something, we should not stay quietly and wait. That is why we have setup the web site http://www.ihopeuhelp.com to connect those people who need help with those who are really eager to help.

IhopeUhelp Beta Launch

Before I explore into the process of launching www.ihopeuhelp.com beta release, I think I owe you to mention what the idea is all about.

The idea in a nutshell is an online community of people helping each other to recover from the current economic downturn. How? People will sign up as a help provider or as help seeker or as both or as unknown to the site.

Help seekers provide their background, specify their particular need (money, service, good or any combination) and upload any supporting documents to their page (photos, scanned documents, videos…).

Help providers also provide their background; specify the type of help they would like to offer (money, service, good, any combination). They can search the database by location, key word, type of help… and once they find a particular person/family that they wanted to help then they can use the messaging system to start communication and proceed then after. Help providers can be individuals, representatives of companies or organization.

Enough said about the idea, let us shift gears towards the process of launching beta.

1. The idea was born on Jan 3/09.
   


2. Domain name registration and initial formal discussion Jan 4/09.
   


3. Pause for two weeks (no work at all)
   


4. Discussed what to do next (decided to launch the beta on Feb 2/09)
   
   
   
   • work on logo
     
   
   
   • modify style
     
   
   
   • arrange UI layout
     
   
   
   • write how it works
     
   
   
   • write some contents
     
   
   
   • create groups
     
   
   
   • find some one to record instructional video on how to use the system
     
   
   
   • find some one to help us understand what to be done on approaching media channels such as CNN, NPR as the site is to help others
     
   
   
   • Start on preparing marketing email content to send to our networks…
     
   
   
   
   


5. Missed Feb 2/09 date mainly because of the person made promise for the instructional video couldn’t make it. And few cleanups were not completed.
   


6. Still we couldn’t find a person to help us capture the video but decided to continue without it for now and officially beta version was launched on Feb 9/09. If anyone would like to help us on this and how to approach media channels such as CNN and NPR, please send us email using contactus at ihopeuhelp dot com.
   

Now ihopeuhelp.com is live out there available for public, what is the next step? Well bring as many people as we can and let the web site facilitate helping each other. Now our focus will be entirely on the marketing side. Still if you think you can help us in any way possible please don’t hesitate to shoot us email at contactus at ihopeuhelp dot com.