Have an extra?
ExtraSoup you made too much of. Spare plant pots. Something useful that could make a neighbor’s day.
“Extra: two portions of soup, available this evening.”Illustrative request
Small favors. Close to home.
A little help.
A little closer.
Borrow a ladder. Share extra soup. Porchlight is testing a simpler way to ask a nearby neighbor for a small favor, without sharing your phone number.
A planned 60-day pilot. Small buildings. No pressure to join.
The idea is simple
Someone nearby might have just what you need.
Our pilot commitments
- Private by default
- No shared phone numbers
- Easy block and report
01 / Everyday exchanges
Start with something small.
Not another neighborhood feed. Just a clear request, a nearby person, and a practical reason to connect.
Two households can get started.
No need to wait for the whole building.
No need to wait for the whole building.
Need a hand?
NeedBorrow a ladder or ask someone to grab a package. A real request becomes the invitation: nearby neighbors receive a text link and can answer without creating an account.
Keeping the scope small. The first version focuses on Extra and Need, with structured requests rather than open chat. Home-watching and daily check-ins are not part of this pilot.
02 / A small, honest test
Useful in real life.
Or back to the drawing board.
We’re planning a free, 60-day test in a small number of buildings. The question isn’t how often you open an app. It’s whether you get help—and choose to ask again.
- 01Track useful responses and completed exchanges.
- 02Look for repeat use without reminders.
- 03Compare with buildings already using group chats.
Address verification confirms where someone lives, not whether they’re trustworthy. Participation stays optional, and a response is never guaranteed.
Pilot participation
Free / 60 days
A test, not a subscription pitch. Long-term funding and pricing are still open questions.
Could your building be a fit?
The pilot is intended for nearby households willing to try small exchanges and share honest feedback. Buildings with existing group chats are welcome in the comparison.
What would participation involve?
Start with a neighbor, try an Extra or Need request, and tell us whether it was useful. Over 60 days, the test will also examine response times, organizer effort, and whether residents want to keep using Porchlight. Enrollment is not yet open.
A neighbor, not a network
The next helping hand
could be next door.
Start small. Keep it optional. Find out whether a simple exchange can make home feel a little more connected.
Find your pilot fit