MOBILE HOPE: A Human- Centered App for Dignified Access.
📦 Background
Mobile Hope is a Virginia-based nonprofit that supports at-risk youth through its program, Listen for the Honk. Listen for the Honk. provides food, diapers, hygiene items, books, and toys directly to families in the community using a fleet of buses.
🔍 Challenge
How might we support unhoused families with clear, respectful communication while streamlining operations for Mobile Hope?
📣 Key Stakeholder Insights
Collaborated directly with Listen for the Honk founders
Reviewed years of user feedback
Conducted subject matter expert interview
Identified key barriers: communication gaps + language accessibility
🚫 Limitations of Current System
Families lacked clear info on weekly inventory
Mobile Hope couldn’t track attendance data easily which jeopardized funding opportunities
No easy way to request specific needed items
💡 Our Solution
An app that sends personalized weekly event info
Transparency about available inventory so families can decide if they wish to attend
Item request feature for families
Attendance tracking to support grant reporting
Language Changing Function for accurate communication.
👥 Design for All Stakeholders: We expanded beyond the family journey to include volunteers and staff, ensuring our solution was realistic and sustainable for everyone involved.
✨ What Makes This Project Meaningful
✅ Co-designed with institutional knowledge
✅ Informed by real data, not assumptions
✅ Prioritizes dignity and respect in resource access
✅ Built with scalability in mind