Jinship is repairing the social safety net by guiding people to and through assistance programs with a chatbot and turning anonymous queries into a real‑time map of gaps and friction in the system, giving nonprofits, governments, and policymakers a data‑driven roadmap to remove barriers and expand access.

Today, over 100 million people in the U.S. struggle to afford basic living costs, yet an estimated $140 billion in assistance goes unclaimed each year. A major reason is the lack of accessible, accurate information; people often don’t know what help exists, how to qualify, or how to navigate complex systems. Social workers rely on resource directories, but many consistently say that the lists are either outdated or incomplete, making it harder to connect people to the right support in critical moments.

To address this, Jinship is launching the Data Commons initiative.

Those involved in the Jinship Data Commons effort will help build a more accurate, up-to-date map of local nonprofit services by gathering and verifying key information about organizations in their community. This includes details such as programs offered, eligibility requirements, hours of operation, contact information, and how to access services.

This work is critically important. When resource data is outdated or incomplete, people in urgent situations (and those trying to help them) face unnecessary delays and dead ends. By improving the quality of this information, volunteers directly help individuals and families find support faster and reduce barriers to accessing essential services.

Volunteers will reach out to nonprofits via phone, email, or LinkedIn, and organize information using a templatized format (the Human Services Data Specification – HSDS), a national standard for structuring social service data. Along the way, they will learn about the humanitarian efforts in their communities, gain firsthand exposure to how the social safety net operates, build communication and research skills, and contribute to a broader effort to reduce systemic inequities in access to care.

The commitment is flexible but structured. Volunteers can expect to contribute several hours per week, with clear goals (such as updating a set number of organizations), guidance on how to collect and verify information, and ongoing support from the Jinship team. This role is ideal for students looking for meaningful, community-based volunteering that creates real, tangible impact.