Community Bazaar Website and Application

By LAUREN CAMIN-CALIXTO

Overview

The Community Bazaar website and application can help members of the community ask for assistance while retaining their privacy.

The platform can only be accessed by members of the school community such as

Parents or guardians
Other family members of students
Students who are 15 or older
Educators
Administration and staff

Members of the specific community can request and donate items through the online platform.

The items include (but are not limited to)

Clothes
School supplies
Canned food
Gift certificates
Toiletry items
Refurbished electronics
Accessories such as headphones, earbuds, etc.

What makes this platform different from other platforms is that parents, guardians, other relatives, students, educators, administrators, and staff are part of their private community bazaar. The families can ask for assistance anonymously through the platform. They will only be asked for their mailing address and email address if they want the items shipped to them. They are given an identification number, a bar code, and the dates they can pick up the items if they cannot be delivered. Volunteers from the community can donate items or help assemble customized packages for families.

I’m open to suggestions for improving the platform.

Expected Impact

The Community Bazaar platform can help fulfill the personal needs of families and unite schools and organizations in communities. Families can ask for help anonymously and have the resources they need shipped to their homes. The platform can help eliminate barriers that thwart people from asking for assistance. Organizations within a community can collaborate to fulfill the most pressing needs of people in their communities.

Adopt & Adapt

Members of the school community will need access to a computer or a mobile device that can access the Internet. In addition, they will need access to an email address in order to receive shipping confirmations and appointment confirmations for pick up times.

The time that is required to implement the solution will vary depending on the amount of supplies that will be needed to assist families. Moreover, the time to form partnerships with other organizations in the community may vary.

Members from partner organizations can be invited to join a school community’s bazaar.