Courtesy of Kaicheng Shen

By Kaicheng Shen

As part of its initiative to foster safer neighborhoods, Wyze distributed free smart security devices to Bitter Lake locals during a recent community event.

Wyze, a Seattle-based consumer technology company known for its smart home products and security cameras, made a significant effort to enhance safety in local neighborhoods through its Safer Neighborhoods Community Initiative on August 10th by distributing free security cameras and spreading awareness of security technology at the Bitter Lake community center. In collaboration with the Youth Growth Network (YGN), a nonprofit organization focused on providing students with internship opportunities, Wyze | YGN representatives were seen passing out free food and interacting with the community through raffles and presentations throughout the day.

Wyze’s Safer Neighborhoods Community Initiative was launched with the goal of empowering communities with safety enhancing technology to create a sense of security. The event’s goal was to build community trust while providing practical tools for safety.

“Bitterlake was chosen due to its unique blend of deep community engagement and a clear need for safety improvements that align with our mission,” said WYZE | YGN Program Director Chuck Courntey when asked about the reason behind choosing Bitter Lake as the first location for their initiative.

Despite good intentions, pitching the event to Bitterlake residents was a challenge as locals were initially skeptical about receiving free products from a company. Bitter Lake Community Center staff were initially worried that Wyze would use the event to sell their products. However, Wyze overcame skepticism with persistence and clarity about their intentions.

“We passed out flyers and set up information booths at the community center prior to our event to spread the word. They didn’t show much enthusiasm at first but many of them changed their minds after hearing our vision,” said a WYZE | YGN intern.

According to an official Wyze survey put out for all event attendees, 92 percent of attendees feel that smart cameras are useful for improving home security. However, 80 percent of attendees do not have security technology installed in their homes. Further investigation into survey data revealed that 57 percent of attendees spend little effort on learning new technology and 41 percent of attendees cannot afford security technology at all.

The survey data revealed that price and exposure to technology are the biggest limiting factors when it comes to home security technology. WYZE gifted cameras free of charge and offered set up guides and instructions to ensure that residents could install their cameras efficiently.

“It was about spreading awareness of home security to communities who have less exposure to new technology… some of the interns even went to a lady’s apartment to help set up cameras upon request,” said an intern.

Wyze believes the cameras and knowledge shared during the event will make a difference by empowering residents to take control of their safety in a new way. The event has already seen shifts in the community’s view of security technology. More and more locals are now adopting security cameras as part of their daily lives.

Contrary to initial skepticism, Bitter Lake residents came to appreciate Wyze and their initiative. “The feedback from Bitter Lake residents has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the practical safety solutions we provided,” according to Chuck Courntey.

Wyze plans to follow up with the Bitter Lake community by measuring impact and adjusting their approach to both continuing support for Bitter Lake but also expanding to other communities in the Seattle area.

Bitter Lake was only the first step in Wyze’s Safer Neighborhoods Initiative as Wyze hopes to continue spreading awareness about security technology. “Expanding this initiative to other communities is a top priority; we’re refining our model and looking for other areas where we can make a meaningful impact,” said Chuck Courtney.

In addition, Wyze interns express desires to continue working on similar community focused projects in the future, opening up opportunities for interaction between young adults and local communities. Wyze has not only fostered the spread of technology and knowledge, but also inspired the younger generation to do the same.

“I had so much fun interacting with people from other communities and gaining a perspective of their lives and seeing how close the community is,” an intern explained.

Wyze has proved that initiatives like this are important for not only transferring knowledge but also for building trust between companies and local communities by showing that they are not just a company selling a product, but a partner invested in the well-being of the community.

Wyze was founded in 2017.