Frequently Answered Queries
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and start with the person nearest you."
- Mother Teresa
About Amplify Community
How Does it work?
Community members sign up and connect through two main paths currently:
Browsing a list of neighbours' requests and offering to help (Requests are filtered by your skillset and if they are nearby you)
Posting a request yourself and connecting with a neighbour who can help
Pretty simple :)
What safety measures are in place?
Safety is ensured through mutual rating systems and vetting verifications (Similar to Airbnb & Uber).
What’s the cost?
Zero dollars and zero cents. There is no cost. There will never be a cost.
What’s the catch?
Hmm. We want to say “no catch”, but the truth is you’re inviting a real human being to your home. You’ll talk with them, possibly work alongside them, and find out if you like them. You might not like them (and that’s okay too). They’re also a volunteer - they might screw up, they might say something the wrong way, they might be clumsy, they might go to church. But they want to help. So that’s that catch.
Who do you help?
Anyone who lives in an area where Amplify is active (there have to be sponsor churches/organizations in the area), and who is over 18 years of age (if you have a legal guardian, they will need to make the request for you). But we don’t worry about if you’re rich or poor, strong or weak, short or tall, well-dressed or casual, or what ethnicity, gender, lifestyle, or sense of humour you have. You are valuable, and we want to help.
Is there a Church connection?
Amplify Community is not a religious organization. We have employees of various religions, we have member organizations (churches, colleges, kids camps, etc.) which often ascribe to being Christ Followers, but Amplify Community is simply a software company working for social good.
What if I have a complaint?
If you have an idea for how we could improve the platform, we are all ears! Send those our way here: https://amplify.help/platform-feedback
If it's in regard to a service connection: If it’s something small, try to sort it out there and then. If it’s something big, you’ll have the opportunity to leave feedback about the neighbour. If it’s something really big, please reach out to us.
What if the neighbour breaks something?
First off, be cautious about asking a neighbour to help with something they could wreck. Second advice, when possible work together so a risk is caught early. Third, If something still gets broken, try to sort out a way forward there and then. Lastly, maybe there is another community member with the skills to fix it, don't hesitate to post and find out.
Can I pick who comes to help me?
You always have the option to decline a match, so if for some reason you're not feeling comfortable with the first match, just decline and wait for the next one.
Are there limits to what I can request?
Yes there are limits! But very reasonable ones:
Don’t ask for things that are illegal.
Don’t ask for things to do with drugs, sex, or alcohol.
Don’t ask for things that would put you or anyone else in danger.
Don’t ask for legal or medical advice.
Don’t ask for things you (or the volunteer) will regret… tattoos are a bad idea.
And don’t ask for things that we’ll need to add to this list of things you shouldn’t ask for…
How many things can I ask for?
As many things as you’d like, but just a few at a time. Once your existing requests are complete, you can ask for something new.
Are you a registered charity?
Amplify Community is passionately driven by social good, building relationships, and making our neighbourhoods better places to live, but we aren’t an official charity. We still pay taxes.
What do you do with my data?
First off, we don't sell it and we don't make money off your data. We simply use it to find out how to do this better - we're figuring out how to match needs more effectively, how to make Amplify Community easier to use, and (hopefully) figure out our blind spots.
Accounts & Access
How do I create an account?
If you’d like to join, simply click here to Join the Community.
If you’re an organization looking to join Amplify Community, connect with us and we can discuss the application process.
Do you have a mobile app?
Not yet - but we’re working on it! For now, we’ve built the entire system so you can use it on your phone/tablet in your browser. If you’d like, you can even save an app icon on your Home Screen!
Add App Icon - iPhone (Safari Browser)
Go to the page you’d like to save, and tap [three dots] in the bottom menu
Tap the "Share" options from the menu that pops up
Swipe up to see more options and tap “Add to Home Screen” (beside the plus icon) then name it "Amplify" and tap the blue "Add"
Go to your phone’s main screen (with all your apps) and you’ll see our icon is added!
Add App Icon - Android (Google Chrome)
Go to the page you’d like to save, and tap the 3 dots to the right of the website URL
Tap “Add to Home screen” and confirm “Add”
Go to your phone’s main screen (with all your apps) and you’ll see our icon is added!
Still Curious?
If there’s something you’re wondering about that we haven’t answered, feel free to reach out and ask! We’d love to get you the answers you need.