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Home / In The Press / Synoptek Scales AWS-Enabled AssistOC App for United Way Orange County
Irvine, California. October 13, 2020 – Orange County United Way, in partnership with IT consulting and managed services firm, Synoptek, has implemented the AssistOC platform and augmented it to become a multitenant, customizable, affordable, and adaptable platform.
Currently, AssistOC is a highly secure mobile and web-enabled app hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) that allows Orange County residents affected by COVID-19 to submit requests for financial assistance via a smartphone or personal computer.
“Using AssistOC, I received a $500 emergency debit card when COVID-19 hit that helped me pay my rent as well as pay for groceries and utilities. My hope is that people across the country can seek help from their respective United Way branch for whatever help they are most in need of at the moment, from financial wildfire relief to help with rent payments,” said Shirley, an Orange County community member and AssistOC user.
With limits on staff and resources, Orange County United Way needed a platform to manage the application-to-approval-to-fund process that would not inundate a call center or create lengthy queue times, and would allow financial relief to arrive in a timely manner. The organization also wanted to be able to track impact and report back to donors on the demographics being helped and locations of fund distributions.
Orange County United Way hopes to configure the base AssistOC application to build on top of and enhance the services and assets already developed in partnership with AWS and adjust it so that United Way’s across the country can access it. By scaling it, the platform has an opportunity to create lasting impact for residents all over the United States who are in need of various services. By allowing other United Way branches access to digital tools like this, they will be able to increase their social impact.
The app can be customized based on which branch of United Way will be driving it, including changing the name of the interface for a specific community and interface verbiage and colors but the capabilities will remain generally the same. And, there are plans to implement Chatbot and virtual assistance features that will help reduce resource costs to United Way.
“We’ve seen how the AssistOC app has changed thousands of lives in such a short amount of time and we know that other United Ways will jump at the opportunity to incorporate this digital platform into their own work with the hopes of seeing similar results,” said Chris Ticknor, Digital Transformation Officer, Orange County United Way.
We’re not stopping here. Another addition to the initiative is WelcomeHomeOC, a web portal designed to engage rental property owners who are committed to being a part of the solution to end homelessness. It is a joint effort between United Way, private philanthropists, and rental property owners to reduce the time involved in the search for housing by increasing the availability of rental units.
Synoptek is a global systems integrator and managed IT services provider, offering comprehensive IT management and consultancy services to organizations worldwide. The company works in partnership with clients of all sizes – from mid-market to Fortune 100; and for over two decades, its focus has been to provide maximum business value to its clients, by enabling them to grow their businesses, manage risk and compliance and increase their competitive position. Synoptek is committed to delivering improved business results and unmatched service to every client, every time. Synoptek partners with United Way OC on several initiatives as part of its Synoptek Gives community development program. Discover more at synoptek.com, or connect with Synoptek on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Today’s Orange County United Way is doing more for the Education, Health, Housing and Financial Stability of every person in Orange County. More than a fundraiser, we’re hands-on, delivering more than 50 Community Impact programs countywide. We focus on long-term solutions to the most critical interconnected challenges facing local children and families. United Way is doing more to make long-term measurable difference in the lives of children and families right here in Orange County. To learn more or do more with us, visit www.unitedwayoc.org.
Alexandra Gorrell, Director of Marketing, Synoptek agorrell@synoptek.com | 949.241.8607