Teen’s app aims to aid fire victims

DoNation, accessible on the Apple App Store, was crafted last year in the wake of the fires which ripped through the North Bay by Wong who hopes it can be again useful for those in need.

“It’s intended to be a one-stop shop place where users could find places that needed items, and which items,” said Wong, 15.

For users seeking to donate, they are presented a map of authorized charities looking for items to help victims. Donors can easily navigate the platform and reach out directly to the organization, or connect to websites like Amazon where they can purchase goods requested.

Charities, meanwhile, need to register through the app, to assure they are viable. Once approved, they can publish a list of goods needed to be distributed to survivors of the fire.

Wong, a programmer and coder at the school in the Bay Meadows neighborhood, said the app is a function of one of her greatest passions — using tech to solve real world problems.

“I am looking to help out through tech because that is the way I feel I can make the biggest difference,” she said.

She suggested the service could be useful in helping those affected by the fire which has killed nearly 50 people, with roughly 200 still missing, while torching about 125,000 miles in the area east of Chico. It has claimed more than 7,600 structures, making it the most damaging California fire ever. At last count, it was about 35 percent contained.

The fire, also recognized as the most lethal in state history, marks the most significant blaze in Northern California since Santa Rosa and surrounding communities were devastated by the Tubbs Fire last year. The firestorm torched nearly 2,800 homes, killed 22 and traveled about 36,000 miles.

In the aftermath of the devastation, Wong said she discovered the challenges that existed in connecting organizations working locally to support survivors and those looking to help from afar.

With no knowledge of ways to best contribute, Wong said she witnessed some hopeful donors bring items to the North Bay intending to help Tubbs Fire survivors, only to have their delivery turned away because the goods were not needed.

So in crafting DoNation, Wong said she wanted to ease the path for both parties in their attempt to contribute.

“I got the idea for it from the North Bay wildfires. I saw that a lot charities are suddenly faced with helping so many people and they needed an easy way to update their requests,” she said.

So Wong started work on her app, and after several months of solo design with only intermittent support from a mentor, she published DoNation.

“I did essentially all the programming myself,” she said. “I had a mentor who helped out. So when I ran into some issues, I reached out to them.”

Since its launch, Wong said she has focused on updating the app with an eye on improving user experience.

Wong, a San Mateo native, said DoNation has grown in popularity with some local nonprofits, as well as friends or family, but she is hopeful to grow the reach of the service. Recently, she connected with a community group near Paradise which is helping survivors and she believes the agency may connect her app to other services.

She said she is heartened by the traction DoNation is gaining.

“I’m just so glad that it is being used. I’m just super happy. I’m happy that DoNation is able to help and hopefully make a difference,” she said.

But she is not satisfied with the difference the app has made so far, and hopes to expand its reach as the need grows with each day the Camp Fire continues to burn.

“I hope more people learn about the app and they will see how easy it is to connect with charities and give,” she said.

Visit itunes.apple.com/us/app/do-nation/id1342484028?mt=8 to download DoNation.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105