Essential Support Sourcing vs SupportNow

Essential Support Sourcing (ESS) is a location-based support discovery app that helps individuals quickly find nearby essential services such as food, shelter, healthcare, hygiene facilities, and other community resources. Designed for ease of use and accessibility, ESS enables users to locate verified support services, view detailed provider information, and get directions. Core Features Find Nearby Support Services - Discover nearby services across multiple categories, including food, shelter, healthcare, hygiene, and more - Results are based on your current location (with permission) Search & Filter - Search services by service type - Apply filters to narrow down results and quickly find relevant help Interactive Map View - Explore services visually on an interactive map - See service locations relative to your position Detailed Provider Information - View provider name, address, description, and contact details - Get clear information before visiting or contacting a service Directions & Contact - Get step-by-step directions displayed directly on the map - One-tap calling to contact service providers instantly Notifications & Two-Way Communication - Receive notifications directly from facilities about updates, availability, or important announcements - Facilities can allow users to respond, enabling direct two-way communication - Stay informed and connected with service providers in real time Favorites - Save frequently used or important facilities to your Favourites list - Quickly access saved services anytime - Remove facilities from Favourites easily when they are no longer needed Account Options ESS is fully usable without mandatory registration. Guest Access - Browse nearby facilities - Search and filter services - View provider details and directions Registered User Access (Optional) - Create an account to manage personal settings - Update profile details - Change password securely - Delete account directly from the app (no external request required) Privacy & Transparency - Location access is optional and used only to show nearby services and directions - No background location tracking - Users remain in control of their data, including full account deletion from within the app ESS is designed for: - Individuals seeking immediate access to essential support services - Social workers, volunteers, or caregivers helping others locate nearby assistance - Anyone who needs a fast, reliable way to find community support resources

When a family is going through something hard, help shouldn't be one more thing to manage. SupportNow gives families in tough times a single place to organize the people who want to help. This app is for organizers, the family member or friend running a support registry, so you can keep everything moving from your phone. Share updates once, reach everyone - Write an update and your supporters are notified automatically. No more retelling the same news over and over, or wondering who's heard what. Add a photo when you want people to see it, not just read it. Bring your people in - Invite friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers straight from your contacts. You choose exactly who to add — nothing leaves your phone until you say so. Keep track of who's showing up - See your supporters in one list, know who's connected to the registry, and reach any of them directly. Answer messages from anywhere - Replies from supporters land in your inbox, so a question at the hospital or in a parking lot doesn't have to wait until you're back at a computer. Manage more than one registry - Supporting more than one family, or helping someone else organize? Switch between registries without signing out. SupportNow is free for families. Create your support registry at supportnow.org, then sign in here to run it from your phone.