The phone rings. The text pops up. The email hits your inbox. You’re scrolling on social media, and you see the news.
Something bad has happened to someone close to you.
An accident, an illness, a bad diagnosis, an emergency of any kind.
The questions quickly flood your mind. “How can I help? What do they need? Where do I go to do something?” In the moment, these can be hard questions to answer.
Scott and Jordan Arogeti created SupportNow to make answering those questions easier.
“Like everyone else, we’ve had friends and others close to us experience tough times. Like everyone else, we immediately wanted to do something to help them. The challenge became looking for clear direction on where to do it. For the happy times in life, you know to look for the wedding or baby registry. But for the tough times? There’s a fog of confusion and awkwardness that creates a disconnect between those that want to provide support and those that need it.” Scott says.
“We kept hearing from both supporters that wanted to offer more, and families that needed more,” Jordan says. “Crowdfunding, meal organizing, and update sharing tools are well known, however there’s a part still missing. A true Support Registry should also include help with transportation, help watching the kids, cutting the grass, or walking the dog. It’s all the little things to maintain consistency. To keep the routine.”
As supporters, our natural instinct is to help those closest to us during challenging times. That’s why the Arogetis recognize the importance of making it easy for supporters to quickly take action. “People want to feel good about having done something.” Scott says.
How It Works
Support Registries can be created either by the family itself or by a close friend or sibling on behalf of the family. There is no cost to get started, and the process takes less than two minutes.
Every registry can be customized based on the support needs for the family. This includes raising funds, coordinating meals, organizing volunteers, and sharing updates with the community. All four components can be enabled or disabled at any point, based on the preferences of the family.
Once created, Organizers simply add a picture, write a compelling description, and begin sharing the Registry to leverage the communities (social media, faith based, educational, etc.) they’re a part of.
SupportNow also partners with Hospitals and Non-Profits to make the families they serve aware of this free offering.
Ways To Support People In Your Circle
If you currently have a family member or friend who is going through a tough time, the Arogetis offer this advice.
- Offer practical support. Support can be more than money and meals. Oftentimes, the best form of support are the little things; walking a dog, errands, transportation, childcare.
- Avoid the phrase, “How can I help?”. When offering support it’s important to use a Yes or No question and lead with the support you wish to supply. Example, “Can I come over to cook you a meal this week?” The more specific the better and the more likely they’ll be to accept your help.
- Keep checking in. People often move on very quickly after a tough time has occurred. Schedule time in your phone to check-in weeks and even months later. This will help the family feel less isolated and alone.
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