Editor’s note: This is the second post of a series highlighting the inspiring response to COVID-19 from the Google Maps Platform community. This week we’re focusing on projects that help individuals help others in their local communities. You can take a look back at projects that aim to keep communities informed by visualizing helpful info here. 

As the world continues to work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we’re seeing our community of independent developers, non-profit organizations, government agencies and technology companies come up with creative solutions to help one another accomplish daily tasks—from mowing a neighbors lawn, to running essential errands. Today we’re sharing a few examples from recipients of Google Maps Platform credits for COVID-19 response efforts that are enabling community members to help each other in new and essential ways. To apply for credits, visit the COVID-19 Developer Resource Hub.

CoCoConnect

CoCoConnect is a secure, private website that connects users with their surrounding community. When users sign-up, they can indicate how they can provide assistance, whether it’s to lend a hand with a particular skill or share times they’re available to run errands for others. Users in need of assistance can request specific services or needs based on their current situation. To ensure privacy, the site connects people based on proximity without sharing their physical location, but allows users to determine the best way to work together.

Quarantaene Helden

Quarantaene Helden was created by a group of friends in Germany who wanted to make a difference in their community by bringing people together to help each other. On the site, people can volunteer to provide assistance to those in quarantine by running errands, delivering food, and walking family pets. Those in need of help, can request assistance and specify their needs.

GoodSAM

GoodSAM is the world's first automated dispatching system - on-boarding and deploying 750,000 volunteers during COVID-19. GoodSAM is working with the National Health Service in the UK to support volunteering.  You can volunteer to be a telephone companion, transport patients, deliver supplies and medicine to healthcare facilities, or collect and deliver essential goods like food, prescriptions, and medications. Originally, GoodSAM connected trained first aid professionals to patients in cardiac arrest to support the provision of early CPR in the minutes before an ambulance arrival - the system has saved lives around the world. Their community of Responders have mapped thousands of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) creating the world’s largest defibrillator registry.

Next we’ll highlight how a variety of our partners are working with their customers and offering solutions to help support the communities around them.

For more information on Google Maps Platform, visit our website.