You Can Help the Homeless with Google Maps

[AshleySundquist]

Hey Local Guides!

So, I've used the "Lists" feature in Google Maps for a few months now and absolutely love it. I've created lots of fun lists like Top 31 Things to Do in Santa Monica, My Favorite Beauty Spots in Santa Monica and "Top Yoga Studios in Santa Monica, but I recently created a Google Maps List to do something a little different. And much more impactful. My latest Google Maps list is called LAHSA Winter Shelter Program to help connect people experiencing homelessness with a place to sleep in the winter here in Los Angeles. 

If there are vulnerable people in your community who need a meal or place to sleep, you can use your Local Guide expertise to create a Google Maps list like this in YOUR local community. Remember that the core mission of Local Guides is to help create:

1. A more helpful map

2. A more local map

3. A map for everyone (especially our homeless neighbors out there!)

Here's a map of all my favorite places in Santa Monica, California. I love making Lists!

It's estimated that 1,000 people are experiencing homelessness here in my backyard of Santa Monica. Even though we have a pretty temperate climate here in Southern California, our winter nights can become dangerously cold for someone living on the streets so they turn to emergency winter shelters, which are run by groups like the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. I recently learned about all this from a guy who uses these resources. His name is Joe. I like to think of Joe as the unofficial Mayor of the Santa Monica Public Library Parking Lot. He knows everybody and everybody knows him.

We met, of course, in the parking lot. I park there when I go to the gym. Joe and I started exchanging hello's a few weeks ago and one afternoon, he said, "It sounds like you're really interested in helping people like us. You should check out the monthly meeting at Calvary Baptist Church where homeless people like me and residents like you get together and talk about how to make things better." That's when I started brainstorming of really practical ways I could help. 

Here's the "Community Dialogues on Homelessness" flyer that Joe shared with me.

Joe's a man of his word. We exchanged email addresses and he promised to send me the meeting flyer. A lot of people tell me they'll email me stuff, but never do. Joe followed-up right away with the flyer, in addition to a document with all of the winter shelter locations in Los Angeles. I emailed him back with a few questions about this big document, which you'll see below.

I asked what Joe and his friends needed. They needed better maps!

Here's where Google Maps came in. The 2019-2020 LAHSA Winter Shelter Program document that Joe sent me was four-pages long and it was impossible to click on the addresses within the PDF to see where the shelters were on a map. A lot of people living on the streets in Santa Monica have mobile phones and can use free WiFi around the city, but it can be tough to scroll through such a huge document on such a small screen. It was also impossible to view the locations on a map. Now, LAHSA does have an interactive "Find a Shelter" map, but not a lot of people know about it. Joe didn't know about it and he's the primary distributor of homeless resources by the Santa Monica library. Anyways, Joe printed the big document for me at the library and gave me a copy.

 Here's the lengthy document with winter shelter resources

It was a huge document and sort of overwhelming, so I copied all of the content from the hard copy into a curated list on Google Maps called LAHSA Winter Shelter Program. It has all of the winter shelters listed, along with the number of beds at each location, how to get there and whether it's for men or women. It took me about an hour, but you can't imagine how GRATEFUL Joe was for this list. He shared it with all the case managers and liaisons who he's connected with and they were eager to learn more about how Google Maps could be deployed to help share information like this. 

 Here's the Google Maps List I created that shows where all the winter shelters are located in Los Angeles

Here's an example of one of the winter shelters in the LAHSA program.

Joe was thrilled with the Google Maps and tells me he's been telling everybody, including the case managers and homeless liaisons around town. I even get emails now from city employees asking me about my Google Maps lists. Joe wants me to train people how to create Lists on Google Maps at the next Community Dialogues on Homelessness meeting and has asked me to get up and speak at the next meeting. 

Joe's pretty stoked about the Google Maps feature.

I've even connected with local case managers who are interested in using Google Maps.

What I like about using Google Maps vs. LAHSA's version is that people experiencing homelessness can actually "Save" or "Favorite" a location, so they can remember it if they need to come back. They can also write a review or upload a photo to raise awareness of that place. Joe loves to take photos, so he was very excited about this feature. My husband and I purchased the domain name of www.LAShelters.org for about $12 that links directly to the Google Maps list. That way, Joe can easily tell people on the streets to look up "LAShelters.org" or "LAShelters.com" and they can easily find the information they need. 

We all have the power to create an environment of lovingkindness in our neighborhoods and Google Maps is actually a vehicle to help make that happen! Joe said that other people are encouraged when they see Joe and me talking in the parking lot because it shows them that people care.

Anyways, if you live in a community where people are hungry or need shelter...consider making a Google Maps list that coordinates with your local resources! If you decide to create one too, please include the link below in the comments!

[AlexandreCampbell]

Wonderful, @AshleySundquist. I hope that it will help a lot of people and will inspire others do the same in North Hemisphere. Congratulations

[Velvel]

Hi @AshleySundquist what a great initiatives that you do! When I went to LA last November, I saw a lot of homeless living in a tent. In the morning, they started to walk around while bringing a lot of  stuffs. It seems so heavy. It touched my heart how come there is a lot of homeless in this Hollywood and entertainment city. I hope you work will bring much benefits to help them. Thanks for sharing

[iorikun301]

This is great initiatives, @AshleySundquist . We are here not just for having fun and get points. But more we help other people.

And make  a list and share it must be very benificial. Great job for you and your partner :))

[Tushar18]

Great work done by you @AshleySundquist … 

I think many people would get help from such a list. Kudos to you !!!

[JeroenM]

@AshleySundquist 

I read your post with great interest. Homeless people are not really an issue in the area where I live, or if it is it is not visible and fortunately, it doesn't get very cold even in winter.

Besides the inspirational story of Local Guides work for a great cause, what I also love about your story is that it showcases the spin-off that a project like this can cause. The fact that now so many more people, including city officials, are now aware of the power of Google Maps Lists is awesome.

Keep up the good work.

JeroenM

[JanVanHaver]

Wow @AshleySundquist this is absolutely amazing. It's great for local guides to have such an impact in unexpected segments of life! A well meant congratulations.

[Nyainurjanah]

,@AshleySundquist.

Wow wow , wonderful is my word

I always pray your amazing initiative help a lot of people .

Cool for you ,very inspiring 

[KlaudiyaG]

Hi @AshleySundquist,

This initiative is absolutely incredible and very moving. I've always been amazed by Local Guides how they come up with such fantastic ideas and campaigns in order to help their communities and/or the entire world. Sorry for repeating myself, but that's absolutely incredible. Thank you for sharing this heartwarming publication with us. I definitely learned some interesting tips that I can use for my own community and city, so thank you!

Another thing that I wanted to inform you is that I edited the email screenshots that you've shared, as one of them contained your personal email address and the other one Melissa's.

[SilvyC]

The world needs more people like you @AshleySundquist  your job helping homeless people is amazing! I love LA, and I read news all the time of the City and I know the homeless are more every year. Why the government can’t help to those people? It souldn’t be easy but it’s also not impossible, right?
Best regards.

Silvi.