Comment

Comment by Laura on February 24, 2013 at 12:15am

Hi Joseph and everyone'

It is such a blessing to have Snow Crew. I have trouble cleaning my car off even with a few inches of snow (shoulder injuries) so when we have a lot I had been completely overwhelmed by the impossibility of getting it out (since I can't walk far either I need my car). I have a nice neighbor who's been helping me but having the backup is very much appreciated.

It is a helpful video. It had taken me a while to see or get that to request help you needed to click "Report" because it was a tab. I do have a question. Do you need to drag the icon to where your car is? I thought it pops up automatically Exactly at the address you entered-or did you mean that sometimes it does not? I will be sure to check next time.

Is if there is a way we/I can help out non-physically if we don't have a smart phone? Seems like at least during a storm one would be needed to stay up to date.

Thanks for everything.

Comment by Joseph Porcelli (Chief Neighbor) on February 23, 2013 at 11:13am

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I made an instructional video which will be live on the snow crew page shortly!

Is this instructional video helpful?

Comment by Patricia Farrell on February 23, 2013 at 6:38am

I made a request for shoveling out some elderly relatives (my mother and her siblings) in Jamaica Plain.  Although I live less than a mile up the road in Roslindale, I couldn't help because of a recenlty broken arm in a cast. I am fortuante enough to have wonderful neighbors who shoveled me out.  My relatives were fortunate enough that Neighbors for Neighbors has the Snow Crew.  The sidewalk on in front of their house had snow banks from the street plows that was successfully cleared by the Snow Crew.  I cannot say enough what a huge help this was and what a wonderful service the Snow Crew and Neighbors for Neighbors provides.

Comment by Joseph Porcelli (Chief Neighbor) on February 22, 2013 at 9:16pm

Here some feedback that was sent directly to me - 

Subject: My experience with neighbor to neighbor re: shoveling out

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I have found neighbor to neighbor wonderful.  It has met an enormous deal to me to be able to get shoveled out, which I could never due, relative to my disabilities.

I was very anxious last time when the person who took my case hurt her back and I was worried I would not get shoveled out. She wanted to come back later, but luckily another person read of her difficulty and he came and did finish what had been begun.  I was very worried it wasn't going to happen...with the relating of the message that even though injured she would come back.  Probably it could be helpful if a person can't finish to have the individual requesting help put back on the "needs help" list, which I think did happen when Joe asked her if it was finished.

She did come back later to help me clear off the windows since the gent who shoveled me out did not have a scraper with him.

I am MOST appreciative of everyone's help, whether they were able to finish or not.

I also am not a "whiz" at the computer and found I had to re-enter my request several times.  There was a tab called "archived" and since I had been previously helped, I thought that should be pressed.  Unfortunately it bounced me out and I had to redo the request from the beginning.

Many, many thanks again for the help...it means the world to me!!!

Best regards.

Comment by Martha Moor on February 22, 2013 at 2:35pm

Is there a way for you to prioritize urgency of requests, and for volunteers to understand which requests are more time-sensitive than others? Do you do this based on what's in requester's text, or could there a some kind of check-off box or rating scale?

I may need help this Sunday morning if we get more than a few inches, but I have to leave by 11, probably before the storm ends. And when would you recommend making the request -- on Saturday?

Comment by Martha Moor on February 22, 2013 at 2:24pm

Request was easy to make -- but frankly, during the blizzard, I thought it was just a cry in the wilderness.  I was impressed, surprised, and reassured to get a response from Joseph within about 20 minutes. Shovelers showed up the next day and worked a long time to dig out an extra-long space for my minivan -- then they went down the street to help another person in need! To me, it was a miracle to be dug out (especially for free, since I'm broke) and a miracle that this network exists and worked so well.  And I couldn't have asked for nicer people.

Question about prioritizing requests follows in a separate comment.

Comment by Joseph Porcelli (Chief Neighbor) on February 22, 2013 at 2:01pm

Cindy, thanks so much for sharing you feedback and how cool is that three people helped you out. Go Neighbors!

We are going to make an instruction video and put it on the page later today. Hopefully that should help. Also our Amazing Designer Jen, made a nifty new graphic which hels too. 

Comment by Cindy Lu on February 22, 2013 at 1:53pm

I asked for help after the huge snowstorm because I was having back problems, and two people came by and did an amazing job helping me shovel!  And another person showed up a bit later, but the first two people who came by were very efficient, and we were already finished.  I was so grateful for this outpouring of generosity and kindness, from not one but three people!  The only suggestion I might have is to make the online request a little bit more intuitive.  The instructions are all there and are very clear if you follow them, but I could imagine someone getting a bit confused.