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Community
Hoboken and Jersey locals have gotten creative, building apps that make city life easier and more manageable. Whether it’s finding community, dating, or avoiding parking tickets, these tools help residents feel more connected and less overwhelmed. Read on for more information about Hoboken and Jersey City locals and their problem-solving apps.
Anteros
Anteros was created by Jersey City resident Samantha Ciccarella to change the experience that is all too common on dating apps in urban areas. “This dating app is not for everyone,” the founder shared with The Hoboken Girl last year. Samantha elaborated, saying that Anteros is not for dating apps that are gamified or used as an ego boost with no intention of finding real connections. The app is tailored to those looking for meaningful connections, with compatibility scoring, location features, bot/catfish protection, and more. You can download the app here.
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CharityQuest
Stevens alum Frank DiCola created CharityQuest during the pandemic as a way to connect neighbors with local volunteering opportunities. Non-profit organizations can list their opportunities, and users can sort through to find what they’re looking for, looking by region, type of organization, etc.
Eatle
Eatle is a play on the popular New York Times game Wordle, but for guessing the names of local restaurants. The game was invented by Matt Carlo, a Hoboken resident. The game gives players clues pertaining to cuisine and location on the map, letting users know if they are getting “warmer” or “colder” with their guesses. Eatle has games for five areas: Jersey City Downtown, Jersey City Heights, Hoboken, West Village, and Red Bank. One hint might come in handy depending on the day, Matt’s two favorite Hoboken restaurants are Rosario’s on Willow and Otto Strada. Play Eatle here.
Mile Square Sweeping
Mile Square Sweeping is an app invented by Hoboken resident Brian Hasenstab to track street cleaning schedules and parking information including spot availability. Brian invented Mile Square Sweeping after an attempt to find parking for his car while he was away on vacation and unable to move it for scheduled street cleanings. Growing frustrated with Hoboken’s street cleaning website, Brian decided to put his background as a software engineer to use and benefit the community in the process. Mile Square Sweeping is available free for download on the App Store and requires iOS 26.0 or later.
Story Time Locator
Story Time Locator is a website created by Mai-Linh Hoang, which aggregates all free story time and children’s events across Jersey City and Hoboken. Mai Linh is a data analyst who used her previous experience working alongside engineers in addition to AI programs to build the website. The website aggregates events from all Hoboken and Jersey City library branches, local bookstores, and rec centers. The site also allows smart filtering by age, location and event type. Check out Story Time Locator here.
Tables with Tots
Tables with Tots is an app designed by a local Hoboken couple to help fellow parents find changing tables in public areas, including restaurants, stores, and public spaces. Hoboken dad and Army veteran Ken Wolf told The Hoboken Girl that inspiration for the app came from him and his wife’s experience running into diaper-changing disasters in the Mile Square. “Even in Hoboken, where things are more family-friendly than NYC, finding a changing table isn’t always as easy as you’d expect,” Ken shared. Information about where changing tables can be found, even ones that are sometimes hidden, is crowdsourced by fellow parents on the app. The app is free for download through Google Play and the Apple App Store. Learn more about the app here.
Vigilant
Vigilant is a new safety intelligence app founded by Hoboken resident Ellie Pikula. Ellie is a former FBI Special Agent and intelligence analyst who created the app alongside a team of former federal agents, intelligence professionals, and military veterans. From their work in federal service and intelligence, the team saw how vital information failed to reach communities effectively. Vigilant relies on intelligence-grade data from more than 10,000 verified sources worldwide to provide users with timely, accurate, and relevant safety alerts. Download the Vigilant app here.
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