TUSCALOOSA, AL — United Way of West Alabama has launched a new mobile app intended to give residents easier access to community resources, volunteer opportunities, events and donor benefits.
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The free United Way of West Alabama app is available for Apple and Android devices and serves as a mobile hub for the nonprofit's programs and services across its nine-county service area.
"Our goal was to create an easier way for people to stay connected to United Way and the work happening throughout West Alabama," UWWA President and CEO Jackie Wuska Wear said. "Whether someone is looking for help, looking for a way to give back or simply wants to stay informed about what is happening in our community, we want that connection to be as simple and accessible as possible."
The app was developed in-house by UWWA Community Relations Manager Austin Smithson and brings together local news, community stories, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, campaign updates and information about partner agencies.
Users can also find information and resources from UWWA programs and initiatives, including 2-1-1, Success By 6, Young Leaders Society, ReUnited and the Alexis de Tocqueville Society.
The nonprofit says one of the app's key features is an enhanced mobile experience for UWWA's Donor Rewards Card program.
While the app does not replace the physical Donor Rewards Card, donors can use it to find participating businesses and available offers.
Those who opt in can also receive a notification when they enter a participating location, reminding them that a reward is available.
Donors must still present their current Donor Rewards Card at checkout to receive participating discounts and offers.
"The Donor Rewards Card is a great benefit, but we hear all the time from donors who say they simply forget to use it," Smithson said. "One of the things I was most excited about building into the app was the ability to send a reminder directly to someone's phone when they enter a participating reward location."
Location-based reminders are optional, and users can customize their notification preferences based on their interests.
Smithson said the goal in developing the app was to bring the organization's various programs and opportunities together in a format residents could easily access from their phones.
"There is so much happening across our organization, from volunteer opportunities and community events to programs and resources, and the app gives us a way to bring all of that together in one place," Smithson said.
Wear said the app is another way for the organization to adapt to changing ways people access information and engage with their communities.
"People interact with their communities differently than they did even a few years ago," Wear said. "This gives us another way to meet people where they are and make it easier to connect them with opportunities, resources and information that can make a difference."
UWWA said it could take several days for the app to appear in search results, but direct download links are available through the organization's app page.
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