H.T.P.I.N aka Help the People in Need
Creators: Ethan, Iyanna, Simeon & Jayden
School: High School Students from Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School
Location: Bronx, NY
Project Themes: Community Connection
About this Project
Our project is designed to help orphans and shelters by connecting them with people who want to make a difference. It allows users to easily donate money to support children in need and provides information about shelters that require help.
Project Links
Professional Feedback
Hey Ethan, Iyanna, Simeon, and Jayden!
The problem your application addresses is a major one, and while many people want to help, they often do not know where to start. Your app provides a trustworthy and intuitive way for users to take meaningful action. I also appreciate that you grounded your product in strong research, since that is an important step in development and helps build credibility from the start.
A strong addition would be an informational section that clearly presents the research behind the issues your app focuses on. This would help users understand the causes, context, and real-world impact more deeply. Alongside that, a success stories page highlighting real examples of impact would strengthen credibility and show users the difference the platform is making.
Making donations easy is already a strong feature, and adding an option for automatic monthly donations could encourage more consistent, long-term support. I also really like the adoption information and pipeline feature since it feels unique, practical, and impactful compared to other platforms.
As someone with a cybersecurity background, I especially appreciate the inclusion of AI-based scam and fraud detection. That is an extremely important feature that helps protect users and ensures donations are going to legitimate causes, which builds trust in the platform.
Visually, the four-leaf clover heart design is memorable and eye-catching. To strengthen the branding even further, I would suggest using the acronym H.A.T.P.I.N, standing for “Help All The People In Need,” since it is catchy, easy to say, and more memorable for users.
While keeping the app 18+ makes sense for certain features, a teen version could help younger users get involved in more accessible ways, such as volunteering, awareness, or smaller-scale donations. This would expand your audience while still maintaining appropriate safety boundaries.
Overall, your app is thoughtful, well-researched, and impactful, and I can see a lot of potential for it to grow into something truly meaningful :)
The problem your application addresses is a major one, and while many people want to help, they often do not know where to start. Your app provides a trustworthy and intuitive way for users to take meaningful action. I also appreciate that you grounded your product in strong research, since that is an important step in development and helps build credibility from the start.
A strong addition would be an informational section that clearly presents the research behind the issues your app focuses on. This would help users understand the causes, context, and real-world impact more deeply. Alongside that, a success stories page highlighting real examples of impact would strengthen credibility and show users the difference the platform is making.
Making donations easy is already a strong feature, and adding an option for automatic monthly donations could encourage more consistent, long-term support. I also really like the adoption information and pipeline feature since it feels unique, practical, and impactful compared to other platforms.
As someone with a cybersecurity background, I especially appreciate the inclusion of AI-based scam and fraud detection. That is an extremely important feature that helps protect users and ensures donations are going to legitimate causes, which builds trust in the platform.
Visually, the four-leaf clover heart design is memorable and eye-catching. To strengthen the branding even further, I would suggest using the acronym H.A.T.P.I.N, standing for “Help All The People In Need,” since it is catchy, easy to say, and more memorable for users.
While keeping the app 18+ makes sense for certain features, a teen version could help younger users get involved in more accessible ways, such as volunteering, awareness, or smaller-scale donations. This would expand your audience while still maintaining appropriate safety boundaries.
Overall, your app is thoughtful, well-researched, and impactful, and I can see a lot of potential for it to grow into something truly meaningful :)
I really like the specific target groups, and the research done to understand what every group needs. The impact report after the donation is also a great touch! The AI feature to help filter through scams is especially helpful, but ideally, the AI would filter out scams before they are made it onto the app as it would increase trust in the listings on your app.
Having multiple options may overwhelm donors, and a lot of donation platforms rely on monthly recurring donations. It would be a nice feature to have AI provide you 3-4 options per month to choose where you can send your donation.
Having multiple options may overwhelm donors, and a lot of donation platforms rely on monthly recurring donations. It would be a nice feature to have AI provide you 3-4 options per month to choose where you can send your donation.
