The Human Factor: Community Initiatives Supported by Make

Resourcefulness flourishes in times of crisis. 

In this peculiar sense, the ongoing pandemic is no different. The virus’ hold on the world is testing our tenacity in all aspects of life, and people are fighting back. 

We see this tenacity in the restaurants that reinvented themselves as ghost kitchens to deliver food. We see it in the brick-and-mortar shop that took their online sales and logistics game to a whole new level. Moreover, we see it in the services industry professionals who are pushing the limits of what can be offered through video platforms. 

This is how communities are trying to make it through these difficult times. It’s their “fight” response to trauma, and how they keep the sacred fire from going out.

You’ll never walk alone

Governments, companies, and volunteer groups around the globe are answering their community’s calls for help. Whether it’s sewing masks, printing face shield parts, or shopping for the elder and the weak, communities are doing a lot to resist. 

Other efforts are surfacing as well, such as the creation of quick online solutions that do the following:

• Mobilize aid

• Increase commerce

• Facilitate the access to updated, reliable information

As a tech company, these are the kind of initiatives that captivate us. It is here where Make can help the most, by improving data flows and automating processes. 

In this line, we feel obliged to show what Make users and partners are doing to help their communities. We are supporting these and other initiatives with free operations and data, but the focus here is on all the people that go the extra mile for their communities. 

The real merit is on them, and it deserves to be showcased. Let’s take a look!

1. Connecting those in need with volunteers

http://mutualaid.nyc/Mutual Aid NYC connects volunteers, funds, and groups to people affected by the pandemic. The solution links multiple systems together to help people as fast as possible. Some of the issues they are tackling include:

• Grocery shopping

• Translation services

• Support to navigate social assistance programs

Make is being used to connect the systems, which helps fast-track the response to multiple, simultaneous demands. 

A similar initiative is Can’t Stop Colombus, which operates in the area of Colombus, Ohio. We are also providing them with free operations and customer support to help with the cause.

2. Online language courses

In many countries, teaching other languages is a part of the traditional curriculum, and also a popular after-school program. The current situation has changed that, leaving many teachers to rework how they give classes.

In an effort to support the teachers’ situation, we have provided free operations to Online Jazyky, a company that provides online language courses. The goal is to power their solution to send free online lessons to children during the country-wide quarantine. 

Having just been released, this initiative has proven a success: 120,000 courses have been made available, and over 5,000 children have already shown their interest.

3. Helping small businesses stay afloat

A high amount of small businesses is facing closure for an undetermined amount of time, leaving the livelihood of their owners and employees up-in-the air.

To help minimize the pressure, the Spanish organization Yo por ti, tú por mí (“I for you, you for me”) is listing local businesses in an effort to promote local production and consumption. 

In this platform, users can find their local shops and support them by buying a gift card to use once quarantine has lifted. 

The solution uses Make to connect the site to an e-commerce platform. As with the aforementioned cases, we are happy to be assisting by giving a discounted rate to our standard plan.

4. Keeping everyone rightfully informed

Transparent, authoritative information becomes a particularly valuable commodity in times of uncertainty. This is why Make is supporting Journalistes Solidaires with a free, 3-month-long Business plan. 

Journalist Solidaires is a collective of French-speaking journalists that have united to debunk fake news about COVID-19. 

The group is using Make to collect news from RSS feeds to an Airtable. By gathering news from multiple sources in one place, fact-checking becomes an easier task for the journalists involved.

Keeping morale high

We are aware that the stars here are the Make users who put their time and expertise into helping out their communities. If anyone deserves further recognition, it’s them. 

It is clear that the power of humanity is being tested, and we have responded with empathy and support. We believe that the next era of automation will enhance us and that the human factor can not and should not be lost. 

This is just a fraction of the solutions and stories out there, and we will be featuring more in the near future. 

Stay tuned and stay safe, friends.