{"683054":{"#nid":"683054","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Students Create Web App to Support DeKalb\u2019s Unhoused Community","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new web-based application is helping unhoused people find shelter, medical care, and other vital resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of Georgia Tech students recently collaborated with the nonprofit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ahomeforeveryoneindekalb.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Home For Everyone In DeKalb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to develop a communications tool to assist individuals experiencing homelessness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe partnership began through the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sci.cc.gatech.edu\/cs-capstone\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EComputer Science Junior Design Capstone\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E program, where students work with clients over two semesters to create minimally viable products.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe all met A Home For Everyone In DeKalb and learned about their needs,\u201d said computational science major \u003Cstrong\u003EV Verity\u003C\/strong\u003E, who served as the project manager and connected with the nonprofit\u2019s mission.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere was a point where I struggled to find a home, food, and community resources, and people helped me out. I wish I were alone in that story, but there are many at and outside of Georgia Tech who relate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe student team, led by Verity, \u003Cstrong\u003ECourtney Costley\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EJackie Jones\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EVijay Shastri\u003C\/strong\u003E, and \u003Cstrong\u003EChrystabel Sunata\u003C\/strong\u003E, developed a web app to help users locate nearby shelters, food distribution sites, and emergency services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe best feature is the map pages,\u201d Verity said. \u201cThis map allows admins to put geolocate pins and addresses to show where users can find shelters, warming and cooling centers, transportation, and food.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team chose to build a web-based app rather than a downloadable mobile app to remove barriers for users without consistent access to devices or data plans. By using a simple and memorable URL, unhoused patrons can access the resource from shared or public computers at libraries or by borrowing a device in the community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGregory White\u003C\/strong\u003E, executive director of A Home For Everyone In DeKalb, emphasized the communication challenges faced by unhoused individuals, especially during emergency weather or the height of the pandemic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe has been involved in homelessness advocacy since 1994. The organization was established in 2021 by \u003Cstrong\u003ERob Johnson\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EShelly Fine\u003C\/strong\u003E. White came on board as the executive director in 2025 after retiring from the City of Decatur as the parks and recreation director for 30 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur first meeting was held in September, and we hit the ground running,\u201d White said. \u201cIt was a pleasure to work with the students who were organized and communicated at a high level.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhite noted that the students listened carefully and conducted interviews with unhoused patrons throughout the development process, which helped shape the design of the tool.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough the app, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/unhousedgeorgians.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eavailable at unhousedgeorgians.com\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, users can find real-time updates on community events, MARTA card distributions, showers, weather forecasts, and more. White has demonstrated the site to about 50 patrons during MARTA card distributions and says the Decatur Library now regularly shares the resource.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnhoused patrons have been involved since we started the project, and they\u2019ve shared the web-based app with community friends,\u201d he said. \u201cI have received outstanding feedback from users stating the resource is easy to use and well organized.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhite praised the students\u2019 efforts and noted the app\u2019s visibility at community fairs, in libraries, and among service providers. The resource was featured at the Decatur First United Methodist Church community fair and has been positively received by the nonprofit\u2019s board of directors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA Home For Everyone In DeKalb board member and College of Computing Financial Administrator \u003Cstrong\u003EStacy Waggoner\u003C\/strong\u003E helped introduce the project to Georgia Tech faculty and staff.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGreg White is a hero to the unhoused in DeKalb. He truly lives and breathes this work,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re grateful to the students for sharing their time to create something so impactful.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking ahead, White hopes the app will serve as both a practical tool and an educational resource for the broader community. He envisions future student involvement expanding to include features such as usage metrics and gaining support from local officials and national organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019d like to see this tool spark awareness and understanding about how unhoused patrons have to navigate society,\u201d he said. \u201cDreaming big, I\u2019d like to share this with outreach groups from the World Cup, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NCAA, MLB, and more.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVerity echoed the sentiment, urging other students to pursue socially impactful projects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGregory White was a wonderful client. When we were done, it was something we could look back on with pride, that isn\u2019t just a demo of a tech idea but something that is part of the community,\u201d Verity said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to make something that you\u2019re proud of.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team of Georgia Tech students recently collaborated with the nonprofit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ahomeforeveryoneindekalb.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Home For Everyone In DeKalb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to develop a communications tool to assist individuals experiencing homelessness.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new web-based application is helping unhoused people find shelter, medical care, and other vital resources."}],"uid":"36613","created_gmt":"2025-07-09 14:12:24","changed_gmt":"2025-07-09 14:16:13","author":"Emily Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677360":{"id":"677360","type":"image","title":"home1.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe student team presents their app at the CS Junior Design Capstone Expo. Photos by Gregory White.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1752070364","gmt_created":"2025-07-09 14:12:44","changed":"1752070364","gmt_changed":"2025-07-09 14:12:44","alt":"The student team presents their app at the CS Junior Design Capstone Expo. Photos by Gregory White.","file":{"fid":"261252","name":"home1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/home1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/home1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":761572,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/09\/home1.jpg?itok=bD_qDOWM"}},"677361":{"id":"677361","type":"image","title":"home2.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe student team presents the app to community leaders in DeKalb County. Photos by Gregory White.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1752070364","gmt_created":"2025-07-09 14:12:44","changed":"1752070364","gmt_changed":"2025-07-09 14:12:44","alt":"The student team presents the app to community leaders in DeKalb County. Photos by Gregory White.","file":{"fid":"261253","name":"home2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/home2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/home2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":505048,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/09\/home2.jpg?itok=OboEx05Y"}},"677362":{"id":"677362","type":"image","title":"home3.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGregory White (right) served as the student team\u0027s client in the CS Junior Design Capstone program. Photos by Gregory White.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1752070364","gmt_created":"2025-07-09 14:12:44","changed":"1752070364","gmt_changed":"2025-07-09 14:12:44","alt":"Gregory White (right) served as the student team\u0027s client in the CS Junior Design Capstone program. Photos by Gregory White.","file":{"fid":"261254","name":"home3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/home3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/home3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":37257,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/09\/home3.jpg?itok=FL88x8-H"}},"677363":{"id":"677363","type":"image","title":"home4.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe student team presents their app to Judge and School of Computing Instruction Lecturer Ronnie Howard at the CS Junior Design Capstone Expo. 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