In a world where digital social networks promote endless scrolling and bombard us with advertisements, there’s a new way to bridge the gap between neighbors and communities. We are thrilled to introduce HelpGoat, a community help exchange iOS app on a mission to unleash unused potential and extend a social support safety net to the world. Our tagline, “Help Each Other, Help the World,” reflects the heart of our vision.
Blurring the Lines Between Helper and Helpee
At HelpGoat, we believe that everyone has something to offer, and everyone can benefit from a little more help and support. We recognize that we all thrive when we feel useful and productive, and we all feel good when we are able to help others. However, we also understand that asking for help can sometimes be challenging. Paradoxically, sometimes the best way to help others is to provide them with the opportunity to help.
The Social Support Network
HelpGoat aims to break down barriers involved in asking for help and promote help exchange as a means of socializing and broadening social circles. With this in mind, we created a useful tool for finding free, hands-on help for yourself with anything from pet sitting, dog walks, gardening help, babysitting, tutoring, work projects… anything, really. Furthermore, by requesting help for yourself, you encourage others to do the same – unleashing meaningful opportunities for you to help others. The result, we hope, will be a platform that results in more meaningful social opportunities among friends, family, coworkers, and community members and improved circumstances for all.
Connecting Communities, One Help Transaction at a Time
Our app provides a unique platform for members to join and create various HelpGroups tailored to their specific social circles and interests. Whether it’s your child’s classroom, your neighborhood block, your church, your book club or your office team, you can create and join trusted communities. But it doesn’t stop there; you can also create or join special interest HelpGroups that resonate with you. Imagine a Community Gardening Exchange for green thumbs or a Pet Care Exchange for animal lovers.
GoatPoints – Enabling a Virtuous Cycle
One of the unique features of HelpGoat is the GoatPoints system. Think of 1 GoatPoint equal to about 1 dollar and value help accordingly. When you help others, you earn GoatPoints. These points can then be used to get help for yourself when you need it. It’s a virtuous cycle, where your acts of generosity come full circle to benefit you when you require assistance.
To get you started, we’re offering 300 GoatPoints just for signing up with HelpGoat. You can earn more GoatPoints by responding to HelpRequests or accepting responses to your HelpOffers. Once the help has been delivered, you can securely exchange points with the other party. Remember, to keep the system functioning, it’s important to both give and receive help and give and receive GoatPoints.
Privacy and Trust
We understand the importance of privacy and trust in the realm of community help. Posts can be made public, posted to specific HelpGroups, or even to specific people. Responses to HelpPosts are private, and discussions related to a post happen within an integrated chat function. This secure environment fosters trust and transparency, ensuring that members can exchange help with confidence.
Sharing Stories and Helper Reviews
After exchanging points, you have the option to leave public reviews for one another and share your HelpStories. A HelpStory is your opportunity to share the experiences of your help transactions, complete with optional photos. By sharing these stories, you inspire others and contribute to the spread of the spirit of giving and asking for help.
HelpStories: Real-Life Inspirations
Here are just a few HelpStories that highlight the incredible impact HelpGoat can have on people’s lives:
- Baking Bonds: My grandmother loves to bake but had nobody to bake for. After posting a HelpOffer on HelpGoat, she now earns points for sharing her baked goods around the neighborhood. She uses her points to get help with yardwork and things around the house. She now feels more connected with her neighbors and has made new friends.
- Neighborhood Revival: After losing my job, I needed to cut back on expenses and started doing my own lawn work. I used HelpGoat to host a lawn cleanup party. We had a lot of fun and got the job done. Now my neighbors have hosted their own lawn cleanup, house painting, etc. parties, and I’ve been able to reciprocate the help I received. It’s been a fun way to socialize, I’ve made new friends, and our neighborhood has never looked better.
- From Music Lover to Teacher: I have a passion for playing the piano. When I saw a HelpRequest for piano lessons, I decided to offer my skills, despite not being a professional teacher. I gave it a try, enjoyed the experience, and eventually decided to pursue a second career as a piano teacher, thanks to the practice and encouragement I received through HelpGoat.
- Growing a Tight-Knit Toddler Moms Group: Our group of toddler moms created a HelpGroup for our close-knit circle. We mainly exchange dog sitting and babysitting, but we’ve found HelpGoat to be an excellent platform for other occasional requests like shopping assistance or a much-needed break.
These HelpStories reflect the spirit of HelpGoat, where each help transaction benefits all involved and, in turn, strengthens the community.
Start New HelpGroups: Be a Community Leader
With the aim of helping as many people as possible, we are looking for community leaders who are ready to make a difference. If you’d like to start a HelpGroup for your neighborhood, school, church, office, friends, family, social group, etc., it’s easy to get started. Simply download the HelpGoat app, create new HelpGroups for your various social circles, spread the word, post and respond to HelpOffers and HelpRequests and start helping one another within your groups.
Starting a HelpGroup can be a powerful way to connect with your community and make a positive impact. If you’re interested in becoming a community leader and would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Pricing and Community Building
During the initial phase, our app is available for a free trial period. Afterward, users have the option to opt-in for a yearly subscription priced at $4.99. This helps support the continued development of the platform and fosters a vibrant and supportive community.
Get Involved, Make a Difference
Are you ready to be a part of a community that believes in the power of helping each other to make the world a better place? Join our mission and download the HelpGoat app today. Let’s come together, build connections, and create a network of support that can change lives, one help transaction at a time.
Help Each Other, Help the World – it’s not just a tagline; it’s a way of life. Join us on this incredible journey to make a positive impact on the world around us. Together, we can create a social support safety net for the world.
Helpgoat - the points-based community help exchange 