One nonprofit has a unique web tool to help homeless people connect to resources, with the goal of becoming the go-to site for that population.
MyConnectSV, a web-based portal spearheaded by Destination: Home, allows homeless residents to directly message case managers, receive alerts on available housing and more. The nonprofit wants to hit 2,000 users by year’s end. The idea for creating the tool arose from a survey of homeless people to identify information and technology gaps. Residents wanted a more immediate way to know their status in the housing queue. That feature is being developed.
Destination: Home launched the web tool two years ago. It started slow, but has been growing steadily with about 1,600 people enrolled. Last month it added 100 users by increasing its peer-to-peer outreach efforts.
“It’s all just in relatively early stages,” Chief Program Officer Chad Bojorquez told San José Spotlight. “Like any software adoption, we’re learning in real time.”
To reach 2,000 users on the platform, or a little less than one-fifth of the homeless population in Santa Clara County, Bojorquez said they are testing a variety of strategies including peer-to-peer outreach at community events and partnering with other nonprofits to show residents how to utilize the tool. The nonprofit has also created videos showcasing the tool’s different features.
Software company Bitfocus created the tool in partnership with Santa Clara County and people with lived homelessness experience. Cisco, Apple and other donors provided Destination: Home $1.5 million to develop the platform.
The website is fashioned to be like a medical portal. Residents can upload documents like an ID or birth certificate so they have a digital copy in case their physical one is lost. Users can access a resource directory on where to find hot meals, employment training and more. They can get notifications on resource fairs in the area and request appointments with case managers.
“This really shifts power in a very real way to people because they can see that (they’re) enrolled in this program, what (their) progress is,” Bojorquez said. “The person can take more control over their own journey instead of waiting for something to happen.”
Users can also see the information that’s been uploaded by a case manager about them on the database system meant to keep track of homeless people.
Bojorquez said one of the best features of the tool is the alert system that notifies participants when a housing placement becomes available. The platform also allows users to update their location and contact information, making it easier for case managers to find them.
“We’ve seen people miss their housing because we can’t locate them,” Bojorquez said. “I’ve been able to see connections made much faster because homelessness is a moving target. Ultimately, we want this tool to be helpful to connect people to housing.”
About 20% of users continue to stay active on the app a month later, Bojorquez said. Challenges remain for the older generation who isn’t as technology inclined.
For people without access to a phone or computer, Destination: Home has partnered with two San Jose libraries — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library and the Tully Community Branch Library — to offer dedicated computers with direct access to the MyConnectSV portal. The libraries have office hours where people trained on the platform can help users navigate the website.
More than 24 homeless people have utilized the computer stations after being installed in June, San Jose Public Library spokesperson Elizabeth Castañeda said.
“These stations offer people access to the technology needed to manage their accounts and connect with housing and support services…demonstrating the library’s continued commitment to supporting the city’s broader efforts to reduce homelessness, ” she told San José Spotlight.
Destination: Home’s goal is to have the platform replicated across the country. A pilot program has launched in Memphis, Tennessee where 100 users have enrolled in two months. Los Angeles is also working to integrate the web tool as part of its strategy to tackle homelessness.
“Just think about technology and the incredible power for connecting people,” Bojorquez said. “And then other communities are going to have their own ways for improving the portal. I think we opened the door, and the possibilities are pretty amazing.”
Contact Joyce Chu at [email protected] or @joyce_speaks on X.
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