Times of tumult bring times of opportunity, and for Jake Curreri, Founder & CEO of PishPosh, that opportunity came while walking the beaches of La Paz, a small territory in Baja California. Instead of peaceful shores, he found piles of garbage littering the beach. This inspired him to create an app that could empower individuals to take care of their communities.

Jake is a multi-time founder and executive of startups in digital health, DNA, and marketing. He appeared on the Tonight Show walking on his hands, unsuccessfully auditioned for the Disney channel, and won the title of Fittest Man in Arkansas. Over the last 4 years, he worked with Nike, directing digital innovations in crowdsourcing, gamification, and consumer behavior.

However, his latest venture is a little different. PishPosh is the first app to crowdsource community service, like urban clean-up, and reward those who participate. Its mission is to tackle the growing issue of litter and waste in our cities while encouraging individuals to take action in their communities, including the marginalized.

PishPosh literally means “nonsense”, and the current solution to taking care of our communities is nonsense. You can get fined for littering, but you can’t get rewarded for picking up? Nonsense. Here's how PishPosh works: users can download the app and log any trash they pick up in their area. Each item of trash picked up earns them points, which they can redeem to enter giveaways, earn prizes, or convert to community service hours. The app also features a map that shows trash hotspots, allowing users to easily find areas in need of cleanup.

This month, PishPosh is piloting in Bentonville, Arkansas, with 10,000 probationers. It's a 6-month program for drug-related charges that allow probationers to fulfill their mandatory five hours of community service. With over 4 million U.S. citizens on probation – 80% of which fail to meet their community service requirements - PishPosh has the potential to make a significant impact. The app will be able to address non-compliance issues and create accessibility for volunteer opportunities.

For Jake, this pilot is personal. He knows firsthand how broken the system is. “The quickest way back to jail is probation,” says an affected family member. During the first two years of PishPosh, Jake is committed to two goals: 1) Reducing Recidivism, and 2) Beautifying Communities. This is just the beginning; the company plans to expand the scope of community service beyond just trash and clean-up, from organizing neighborhood events, volunteering at local charities, and to supporting disaster relief efforts, such as fire mitigation.

Overall, PishPosh has the potential to make a real difference in our communities, and Jake believes that together, we can create a more engaged and more responsible community. If you're looking for a way to get involved and make a difference, visit https://pishposh.io.