How it works
The Porch runs entirely by text message. Every message comes from the Porch's number and goes to each person one at a time, so you're never stuck in a big group text and nobody sees your number unless you say so.
- Join by text. Text JOIN to your community's Porch number, or reply YES if a neighbor invites you. Tell us your first name and how you might like to help.
- Tap or reply with a number. Every message comes with simple choices. Tap a button, or reply with a number on phones without buttons. Reply 0 to get back to the main menu at any time.
- Choose how often we text. For each group, you choose whether texts come right away, in a daily digest, or in a weekly digest. If a neighbor mentions you by name, that text always comes right away.
What you can do: ask for help with meals, rides, dog walks or borrowing equipment; offer to help others; send a lost pet alert; join interest groups like hiking or pickleball; and talk anonymously in the Listening Circle.
Joining and leaving
This is the consent message every new member agrees to:
By texting JOIN to The Porch, or replying YES to an invitation, you agree to receive recurring text messages from The Porch, operated by TMT Ventures LLC, about neighbor help requests, group posts, lost pet alerts and digests you choose. Message frequency varies with your settings. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help. Reply STOP to opt out at any time. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Messaging Terms.
When a neighbor invites you
A member can invite you by sharing your number with the Porch. You'll get one text that names who invited you and asks you to reply YES to join. If you don't reply YES, we won't text you again. If you reply STOP, we won't text you again, and your number can't be invited again.
Leaving
Reply STOP at any time to stop all texts. You'll get one message confirming you've been unsubscribed. Reply START to rejoin.
Communities
Each community has its own Porch with its own number and its own volunteer organizer.
Text JOIN to (844) 747-6724
Safety
The Porch is not an emergency service. In an emergency, call 911. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night.
If a message sounds like someone may be in crisis, the Porch doesn't post it anywhere. Instead, it sends that person the 988 Lifeline information right away and alerts the community organizer so a real person knows.
New members' first few posts are reviewed by the organizer before they go out. The organizer may remove posts or members who aren't kind, who sell or advertise things, or who misuse the Porch.
Privacy policy
What we collect
- Your mobile number, and the first name you give us.
- What you tell us you can help with, the groups you join, and your notification choices.
- The messages you send to the Porch, and the times you send them.
- Who invited you, if you joined through an invitation.
How we use it
- To deliver the messages, alerts and digests you ask for, and to connect you with neighbors when you agree to.
- To keep the Porch safe, including reviewing new members' posts and messages that sound like a crisis.
- To show the community organizer simple totals, like how many neighbors have joined and how many requests have been answered.
Who can see what
- Other members see your first name with your posts. They never see your phone number unless you agree to share it, for example when you say yes to a neighbor's offer to help.
- In the Listening Circle, other members see a nickname like “Neighbor Blue” instead of your name, unless you choose to reveal it.
- The community organizer can see member names, numbers and messages, including who sent Listening Circle messages, so they can review posts and respond if someone may be in crisis.
Sharing
We do not sell your information, and we do not share it with anyone for marketing. We use service providers only to run the Porch: our text messaging provider (Telnyx) and our hosting provider (Microsoft Azure). They may use your information only to provide those services.
No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties.
We may disclose information if the law requires it, or if we believe it's needed to protect someone's safety.
How long we keep it
We keep your information while you're a member. If you reply STOP, we stop texting you and keep only your number and opt-out record, so we never text you again by mistake. You can ask us to delete your information at any time using the contact details below.
Who the Porch is for
The Porch is for adults 18 and over.
Changes
If we make important changes to this policy, we'll update the date above and let members know by text.
Messaging terms
- Program: The Porch, a free neighbor-help text program operated by TMT Ventures LLC.
- What you'll receive: help requests, group posts, lost pet alerts, replies to your requests, and digests, based on the groups and settings you choose.
- How often: message frequency varies with your settings and how active your community is.
- Cost: the Porch is free. Message and data rates from your mobile carrier may apply.
- Help: reply HELP for help, or email cw@tmtemail.com.
- Opting out: reply STOP at any time to cancel. You'll get one confirmation message and no further texts. Reply START to rejoin.
- Mobile carriers aren't liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
- Community guidelines: be kind, don't sell or advertise, and don't share other people's private information. The organizer may remove posts or members who don't follow these guidelines.
- The Porch is not an emergency service. In an emergency, call 911.
Contact
TMT Ventures LLC
5810 S Sossaman Rd, Suite 102
Mesa, AZ 85212
Email: cw@tmtemail.com