John created a social media app, at 16 years old, for his brother Christian who has Down Syndrome and found it hard to make friends after his family moved when they were younger. He did this to make him feel involved and connected to his friends so he knew he wasn’t alone!
John laid the foundation for youBelong, an app specifically for people with disabilities and their loved ones. Drawing on input from Christian, John created the app to allow users to share videos and photos, post status updates, search for friends and chat—all in a safe space that encourages community building for people who sometimes find it challenging to connect with others.
youBelong is proof that technology can build community and change the world. Since launching in 2017, the number of users has grown steadily, now numbering in the thousands and hailing from across the U.S. and Canada, even as far as South Africa.
Whenever a new member joins, they’re prompted to fill in their bio and explain why they are joining; most say they’re looking for new friends, giving Christian and others on the app a new group of people to connect with and proving that technology can be an amazing force for friendship!
Sign up for youBelong today on the App Store or Google Play and help us support youBelong’s mission by donating today!