The data that powers Phind it for Me comes from the OpenDataPhilly project and is housed in PHLAPI. It is free and available for any developer to use. Data repositories similar to PHLAPI also exist for other cities, like Baltimore, Seattle and Portland. Phind it for Me is a new service based on an open source project launching initially in Philadelphia (with other cities to follow shortly) that aims to better connect people with their neighborhoods. The application works by letting users send a simple text message (from any SMS-enabled mobile phone) to find the closest location in their neighborhood for a specific type of service (e.g., libraries, schools, etc.) This helps citizens become more connected to the places where they live by making it easy to find the things they need right in their own communities. Where is the closest library to where you live or work? Where is the closest school, hospital, senior center, recreation center, public pool, polling place, or hospital? Phind it for Me answers these question by allowing people to send a simple text message to find out. The code that powers Phind it for Me is open source and available on GitHub.

Share this project:

Updates