“When our social workers learned of a need – like a student needed sneakers for schools – they have reached out to gracious individuals and businesses who would help, but people in our community haven’t had a way to connect with those needs and I’m sure there are generous individuals who would like to help students who have a real need."

Dalton Public Schools and Whitfield County Schools are partnering with Purposity, an app connecting users with one-to-one needs in the community. The partnership aims to match the unmet needs of students with the generosity of those in the community who have a sincere desire to help.

"When our social workers learned of a need – like a student needed sneakers for schools – they have reached out to gracious individuals and businesses who would help," said Pat Holloway, chief of staff of Dalton Public Schools. "But people in our community haven't had a way to connect with those needs and I'm sure there are generous individuals who would like to help students who have a real need."

Enter Purposity. Its name comes from purpose + generosity, and it's designed to connect the individual needs of people with generous community members.

The vision for Purposity is to connect people to doing good the way Facebook connects friends and Google connects individuals with information all the while encouraging the next generation to live generously.

"We live in an age when we can make a doctor's appointment right from our phone," said founder Blake Canterbury, adding, "but we have no way of knowing if the family down the street has food on its table or if their children have shoes on their feet." Purposity looks to bridge that gap locally.

"We are excited to launch our district's partnership with Purposity," said Dalton Public Schools Superintendent Tim Scott. "We know that 75 percent of our students qualify for free and reduced meals so there are always opportunities to meet a real need for a struggling family. A number of school districts in Georgia and around the country are using Purposity and have found it to be a great source of support for students and families in need. I think our community will like seeing how easy it is to help out when a need arises using Purposity."

The Purposity app sends a weekly notification to users with a need in their area. Needs range from items like shoes and jackets for a local student to small household items for a family that lost their home in a fire. It also features user profiles, which track donors' giving and allows them to see their impact. The company's vision takes aim at uniting neighbors and communities around a purpose by easily connecting them with opportunities for generosity.

"We wanted to create a way for communities to connect and unite in a meaningful way," stated Blake Canterbury, founder and CEO. "Our belief is that if you knew your neighbor needed help, you'd help," he added about the origins of the idea.

Those who sign up receive an alert with a link to a story of an individual in need and can then choose to meet that need right on their phone. The requested item is in the hands of the organization in just a few days. It takes one notification, under a minute, and a few clicks to make a difference for a fellow community member.

To join the movement to support Dalton Public Schools or Whitfield County Schools, download the app from the App Store or Google Play and be sure to follow the school districts.

About Purposity:

Purposity is an Atlanta-based organization formed on the principle that individuals find purpose through generosity: Purposity. Their mission is to connect people in need with those that can help and work to accomplish this mission through an app, making it easy for neighbors to help neighbors. Users of Purposity experience transparency and a one-to-one relationship with philanthropy, based on knowing the story of the exact need their donation is meeting. Purposity's platform also allows timely access to donors within a community for schools and other nonprofits. To learn more, visitwww.purposity.com