Mayo, A ‘Neighbourly’ Social Media App

October 20, 2020 Off By Rowena Cletus

The effects of isolation have not been more apparent than the ones brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite our best efforts to flatten the curve, the resurgence of new clusters and strains, speaks volumes of the virus’ resilience. Sadly, this has rendered mitigation efforts, futile. But the only way forward is to persevere with social distancing.

Isolation from friends and family for extended periods of time can be detrimental to one’s mental wellbeing. That’s why the Mayo kindness app may help with alleviate some issues. Its objective is to help connect people in order to meet each other’s ‘neighbourly’ needs. The company says that kindness has scientifically proven health benefits.

Credit: Mayo

Unlike regular social media apps, Mayo doesn’t require users to signup or login. Instead, the point is for users to connect for an offline kindness exchange. Users in the same vicinity can reach out to each other to help with chores or to interact with. The app also has a reward feature, that can be used to thank each other or get rewarded with points that can be redeemed for gift cards.

Here are a few ways that users can use the Mayo app:

- Sharing extra items from their in-home garden
- Heading on a pharmacy run
- Finding a neighbor to share an impromptu cup of coffee with from a safe distance

“Mayo started with a simple mission. I wanted to find more ways to encourage face-to-face interactions. I hope Mayo can foster friendliness and real-life connections in this increasingly digital age.” said Founder Allen Chan.

Apparently, the concept seems to have caught on in apartment communities as well as independent senior living facilities.

If you’re interesting in testing the app, here’s what you need to do: