VolunteerCrew is a website and Facebook app that facilitates volunteer work of all types – not only for public and nonprofit organizations but for friends and neighbors as well. It will match those who can help and those who need help, enabling users to see needs and opportunities in their immediate geographic area, in real-time, and enable both individuals and nonprofits to ask for and receive help on short notice. It leverages social networks, geographic data and research into volunteer motivation to reduce barriers to volunteering, making possible a new class of volunteer efforts – more informal and episodic. This is designed to help build an ethic of community participation, increase organizational capacity, resources and effectiveness, as well as strengthen ties within communities.