New app looks to stir up social engagement, help fight heroin epidemic

MILWAUKEE -- A local business is trying to help fight the heroin epidemic in a unique way.

The use and abuse of heroin and other opioids in Milwaukee County has become an issue affecting all economic classes, races and ages.

"I have several friends who have family members who have overdosed on opiates," said Coby Skonord, founder and CEO or Ideawake. "Wanted to use our technology for social good."

Skonord created the site app.ideawake.com to engage the community to help overcome the heroin epidemic.

Coby Skonord, founder and CEO or Ideawake

"We are looking to collect about 200 ideas over the course of the next month," Skonord said.

Here it how it works:

"Users post ideas. And then we have different types of voting mechanisms where we use the users' knowledge of a specific topic to surface the best ideas," Skonord said. "After that, then we are going to take the best ideas of top ideas and take action on those."

From there, the company partners with organizations on the back end in order to help implement the ideas that come from the challenge. To help bolster engagement, there are even incentives.

"The Salvation Army donated Brewers tickets, some local bars donated $50 gift cards. For participation, we are giving out prizes as well," Skonord said.

It is a creative way to bring minds together in the quest to help save lives.

"The goal is to do something that's measurable and have an impact in Greater Milwaukee," Skonord said.

Uses will be able to submit ideas until the end of May. If you choose, you can do so anonymously. The ideas will be implemented over the next 90 days.