“BigBurgh” Mobile-Friendly Resource for Homeless Now Available in Spanish
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2017
“BigBurgh” Mobile-Friendly Resource for Homeless Now Available in Spanish
Spanish translation of free app provides same functionality and resources for homeless individuals and service providers
The Homeless Children’s Education Fund has released a Spanish translation of BigBurgh.com, a mobile-friendly website that provides easy access for homeless individuals and outreach workers to locate food, shelter and other nearby basic services.
The translated version provides the same functionality and resources in accessible language for Spanish-speaking individuals.
Sister Janice Vanderneck of Casa San Jose, who advocated for the Spanish-language version, said, “Now, more than ever, Pittsburgh must work to welcome and support our local Latino population. The Spanish translation is vital to providing resources to people who can really use the help.”
According to Joseph Lagana, founder of Homeless Children’s Education Fund, the agency coordinating the BigBurgh project, “The initial reaction to BigBurgh has been outstanding, and we are so pleased to connect homeless individuals with the services they need.”
BighBurgh.com is a mobile-optimized website – completely free and accessible without the need for a login or app store account – that can be viewed on any smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer with a data plan or Internet connectivity. To download the app to an iPhone, Android or desktop, simply type “BigBurgh.com” in the browser.
“It is an invaluable resources for police, teachers, clergy, medical and social services professionals, parents and ordinary citizens alike,” said Lagana. “Most importantly, it’s for the homeless themselves – more than 60% of homeless youth have smartphones, and homeless adults frequently access computers at libraries and other centers.”
Homeless Children’s Education Fund and Informing Design led a community coalition of outreach workers, public safety officers and a host of local funders to create the BigBurgh mobile-friendly website.
Currently, BigBurgh promotes more than 170 free services available from 80 different providers located throughout the City of Pittsburgh. The app’s numerous features include instant access to crisis hotlines, direct communication between police and outreach workers, and an “empty Bed Alert” function, enabling shelters with no-shows to make those beds available on a nightly basis.
Robert Firth of Informing Design, LLC in Shadyside made the BigBurgh concept a reality by donating more than 1,000 hours as he took on the complex task of categorizing, mapping and updating the application. He is now working to expand its resource listings to include all of Allegheny County.
Translation of the app to Spanish was funded with a grant from the Pittsburgh Child Guidance Foundation.