A NEIGHBOR WALKS UP
A neighbor walks up to the BeSeen Machine and presses a button for help. We intentionally place the machines in underserved areas that are a little further from other organizations.
AT 2 AM, WHEN IT’S RAINING AND ALL YOUR CLOTHES ARE WET, WHERE DO YOU GO FOR HELP?
Our mission is to use creativity and innovation to fill gaps in outreach and reimagine how we all see and serve our communities.
OUR IMPACT
WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN ANYONE CAN HELP AT ANY TIME.
0
people served
0
items given out
0
helped after hours (5 PM to 7 AM)
0
volunteer hours
THE QUESTION WE GET MOST
WHAT IS THE BESEEN MACHINE?
The BeSeen Machine was created to fill a gap in outreach. In many communities, when 5 PM comes, options for help become limited, but people’s needs don’t stop when organizations close. If it’s 9 PM, 11 PM, or 2 AM, it’s raining, your clothes are soaked, your phone is dying, or you need water, socks, hygiene items, or dog food to make it through the night, where do you go? Shelters, outreach teams, and community organizations do incredible work, but they can’t be everywhere at every hour. We created the BeSeen Machine to help bridge those hours and make essential support available when and where people need it.
The machine is stationary, which means it can remain a consistent point of connection even when someone’s circumstances aren’t. Encampments move. Outreach schedules change. Case managers change. Transportation can be difficult. But a neighbor can know where the BeSeen Machine is and return when they need it. Inside are practical essentials that can help someone get through today, but our vision goes far beyond what’s inside the lockers. We are building connections to case management, local resources, and partner organizations so the machine can become a bridge between an immediate need and the next step toward stability.
And we don’t want to duplicate the incredible work already happening in our communities. We want to complement it. Our cities are filled with shelters, housing teams, case managers, healthcare providers, outreach organizations, churches, and nonprofits doing amazing work. Every organization has limits. Hours, staffing, budgets, geography, and capacity. BeSeen asks a different question: Where are the gaps between all of that great work, and how can innovation help fill them? We believe the future of outreach can build on what’s already working while creating new ways for people to access help when traditional services aren’t available.
Maybe the most unique part of the BeSeen Machine isn’t the machine at all. It’s the person on the other side of the screen. Volunteers can serve virtually from almost anywhere, giving one hour of their time to talk with a neighbor, listen, help them access what they need, and remind them that they are seen. Someone hundreds of miles away can show up for a neighbor in our community without losing the human connection that makes outreach so important. We have a lot more ideas for where this can go, and we’re just getting started. More access. More connection. Fewer gaps. The future of outreach is here. Perhaps the greatest gift we can offer another person is not having all the answers, but being present enough to see them. Distance may separate two neighbors, but compassion has never required us to be in the same room.
A live volunteer
The screen connects a neighbor with a real person, anywhere.
A smart locker
Socks, water, snacks, dog food, notes, first aid and more.
Help after 5 PM
When most services close, the machine does not.
A live volunteer
The screen connects a neighbor with a real person, anywhere in the world.
A smart locker
Socks, water, deodorant, snacks, dog food, handwritten notes, first aid, and more.
Help after 5 PM
After 5 PM, when most services close, the machine does not.
Resource navigation
The machine can help connect neighbors to other amazing resources like housing, mental health, case management and more. Virtual case management is coming soon.
The BeSeen Machine was created to fill a gap in outreach. In many communities, when 5 PM comes, options for help become limited, but people’s needs don’t stop when organizations close. If it’s 9 PM, 11 PM, or 2 AM, it’s raining, your clothes are soaked, your phone is dying, or you need water, socks, hygiene items, or dog food to make it through the night, where do you go? Shelters, outreach teams, and community organizations do incredible work, but they can’t be everywhere at every hour. We created the BeSeen Machine to help bridge those hours and make essential support available when and where people need it.
The machine is stationary, which means it can remain a consistent point of connection even when someone’s circumstances aren’t. Encampments move. Outreach schedules change. Case managers change. Transportation can be difficult. But a neighbor can know where the BeSeen Machine is and return when they need it. Inside are practical essentials that can help someone get through today, but our vision goes far beyond what’s inside the lockers. We are building connections to case management, local resources, and partner organizations so the machine can become a bridge between an immediate need and the next step toward stability.
And we don’t want to duplicate the incredible work already happening in our communities. We want to complement it. Our cities are filled with shelters, housing teams, case managers, healthcare providers, outreach organizations, churches, and nonprofits doing amazing work. Every organization has limits. Hours, staffing, budgets, geography, and capacity. BeSeen asks a different question: Where are the gaps between all of that great work, and how can innovation help fill them? We believe the future of outreach can build on what’s already working while creating new ways for people to access help when traditional services aren’t available.
Maybe the most unique part of the BeSeen Machine isn’t the machine at all. It’s the person on the other side of the screen. Volunteers can serve virtually from almost anywhere, giving one hour of their time to talk with a neighbor, listen, help them access what they need, and remind them that they are seen. Someone hundreds of miles away can show up for a neighbor in our community without losing the human connection that makes outreach so important. We have a lot more ideas for where this can go, and we’re just getting started. More access. More connection. Fewer gaps. The future of outreach is here. Perhaps the greatest gift we can offer another person is not having all the answers, but being present enough to see them. Distance may separate two neighbors, but compassion has never required us to be in the same room.
WHAT’S IN THE MACHINE?
48 LOCKERS. UP TO 48 DIFFERENT ITEMS.
What’s inside changes with the seasons and with whatever our community donates. Here’s some of what you might find.
Socks
Pants
Shirts
Hand warmers
Dog food
Dog leashes
Water
Gatorade
Granola bars
Care packs
Vitamin C packs
Chapstick
Toothbrushes
Lotion
Sunscreen
Narcan
Gloves
Resource guides
Greater Good packs
Handwritten notes
A look at 20 of the 48 lockers
We are always in need of donations. If you want to donate these items, or would like to connect us with a business, group, church or organization, please do!
WINTERhand warmers · gloves · warm socks
SUMMERsunscreen · bug spray · short socks
HOW IT WORKS
Here is a really quick overview of how it works.
A VOLUNTEER SAYS HELLO
On the screen, a volunteer says, “Hey friend, how are you? How can I help tonight?” This is a space for neighbor to neighbor conversation. Some people ask why the machine can’t just handle what neighbors want. It could, but we don’t want to lose the human touch we all need: each other.
THE LOCKER OPENS
From their phone, the volunteer can open the locker to dispense items like socks, deodorant, dog food and more.
A BONUS: CONNECTION
For the neighbors we serve, we would like to connect them with a case manager, or reconnect them with other services.
VOLUNTEER VIRTUALLY
VOLUNTEER FROM ANYWHERE.
You can volunteer virtually from anywhere to help unhoused neighbors at anytime.
Apply to be a volunteer“Technology may open the locker, but only a person can offer presence. Somewhere between one neighbor saying hello and another realizing they have not been forgotten, something deeply human happens.”Evan Dougoud
NEIGHBOR STORY
MEET JOHN.
John experienced homelessness for more than eight years, and his voice and lived experience have become a huge part of shaping our work. Because of John, we were able to spend time at his camp late at night, not just hearing about the challenges of homelessness, but seeing firsthand what happens when it gets dark, services close, and options become limited. Today, John is housed, and his voice continues to be a critical part of our organization. As we continue developing the BeSeen Machine, we’re excited to bring his experience, perspective, and ideas into what we build, because we believe the people who have lived through these challenges should have a voice in creating the solutions.
8+ years homeless
Very limited help after 5 PM, and in some areas none.
4-hour walk
To the nearest shower and shelter.
Tested the machine
His feedback helped shape it.
Now housed
And helping make the machine better.
SEE IT IN ACTION
WATCH A NEIGHBOR AND A VOLUNTEER MEET.
Two minutes, start to finish: someone walks up at night, a volunteer answers from across the country, and the locker opens.
“I have been wanting to volunteer for a while… but I live in North Carolina. I am excited for this opportunity.”
- Nick
VOLUNTEERS, EVERYWHERE
OKLAHOMA IS WHERE THE MACHINE IS. THE WORLD IS WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS ARE.
NOW VOLUNTEERING FROM
Coming soon
BRING IT TO YOUR CITY
WANT A MACHINE IN YOUR CITY?
Tell us about your city and where help is hardest to find after 5 PM. We’ll be in touch.
THERE IS MORE
MORE WAYS WE SHOW UP.
STAY TUNED
HOTEL OUTREACH
A hotel room can give safety for tonight, but not stability for tomorrow. We meet neighbors there.
Learn more
DATE TBD
SEEN / UNSEEN
Stories and hands-on stations that help people see homelessness from a different perspective.