To be honest, when buying my new smartphone the feature I was really excited about was the fancy new camera. It has all the bells and whistles and takes photos like a digital camera. I was so excited to take candid snaps of my friends, shots of my dog looking handsome, delicious meals that I’ve had, and of course panoramas of the gorgeous Memphis sunset. The thing I wasn’t expecting my new camera to do was to help me volunteer.

With an app called Be My Eyes, sighted individuals can help blind or low-vision people with visual assistance needs. Through a live video call, you can help someone in need by reading directions, distinguishing colors, or navigating new surroundings. As a sighted person, all I needed to do was download the app and it would alert me when someone needs assistance.

I have had the app installed for a little over 6 months but haven’t had the opportunity to help until yesterday. Before a team meeting at work, the Be My Eyes app alerted me that someone needed assistance and asked if I could help. I eagerly pushed ‘answer’ and was connected to a woman in England who was making dinner but needed help reading the label on a spice shaker. My screen showed her hand holding the shaker, and I asked her to turn it around so I could read it to let her know she’d be adding mixed herbs to her supper. We chatted for a few minutes afterwards about what she was making and then happily said goodbye. I hope to get another call soon and to be able to use my smartphone to help someone in need.

If you have a smartphone, can you join me in volunteering with Be My Eyes? You never know when you’ll get the call but this is an amazing volunteer opportunity that you can complete quickly, at anytime of day and pretty much anywhere you have your phone.

For more information about Be My Eyes and how you can help others through your phone,visit their website (https://www.bemyeyes.com/) or watch this quick video.