Instant Outreach was created by a neighborhood volunteer who saw a gap in communication
How Instant Outreach Started
After volunteering with a library homeless program, Sachin Medhekar observed a gap in how people learned about local services. He saw that it was difficult for people living outdoors to track what day a service was being offered. He also noticed that the current solution was to have volunteers visit encampments to notify them every time the service happened.
With his experience in technology, Sachin knew this gap could be closed. He built Instant Outreach to allow service providers to broadcast available service days automatically to everyone in the area. Many folks living on the streets carry cell phones with them so sending text messages is a low barrier way to reach them. His initial concept was so successful with the library that Instant Outreach now serves several other nonprofits.
The team is currently expanding its capabilities so it can offer even more value to communities.
Sachin volunteering with folks at SELAH’s Saturday Supper program
Instant Outreach Team
Sachin Medhekar is the founding principal of Crown & Lantern, a design and development studio that has produced apps for a range of companies from startups to nonprofits. Sachin is on the board of his Neighborhood Council and is an organizer for the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition where he is a lead for the Echo Park drop-in program. He is heavily involved in homelessness, both on the ground working with people one on one and at scale, working on technology solutions for providers like Safe Parking LA. He was recognized for his service and contributions to the city by Council District 13 and Mayor Eric Garcetti.
