How do I sign up to help?

If someone sent you a Flote link, open it to see what would help and choose one thing you can take on. A public Flote lets you sign up without an Aflote account.

Find Ways to Help

Open the Flote link, then choose Ways to Help in the Flote's navigation. This opens the full list of ways to help. Find Things you can do for practical needs, such as help with pets or meals, and in-person visits. Choose the button for the kind of help you can offer.

You may also see a shorter How you can help list on Home. Choose Ways to Help to see the full list, or Home to return to the main Flote page.

For a non-visit need, choose I can help. In-person visits use a separate booking flow, as described in the Book a visit section found below.

Claim a practical need

After you choose I can help, the form asks for:

• Your name (required)
• Email (required)
• Phone (optional)
• Note (optional), for any details the family should know

On a private Flote, your name and email are filled in automatically when you are signed in. On a public Flote, enter your name and email along with any other details you want to share. You do not need an account to help on a public Flote.

Before choosing Sign up to help, select the Follow along checkbox when you see it on the form to stay in the loop. The label includes the name of the person whose Flote you're visiting. You'll get updates by email. It's a simple way to keep up with how they're doing and stay connected with the family.

If you select it, submitting the form will take you to a separate follow sign-up. Following requires an Aflote account, but it's optional: you can still sign up to help without following.

Choose Sign up to help when you are ready. The family receives your name, email, phone number if you added it, and note.

The finished state says You're signed up to help! It also says A confirmation has been sent to your email. The family will be in touch soon. Choose the Back to button with the person's name to return to their Flote when you are done.

Book a visit

If the Flote includes In-person visits, choose Sign up to visit. The visit section opens with Pick a time. Dates with available times are marked Available.

Choose an available date, then choose I'll visit at this time. The booking form shows the selected date and time. Enter:

• Name (required)
• Email (required)
• Phone (optional)
• How do you know [name]? (required), using the name of the person you're visiting
• Message (optional), for notes about the visit

Choose Request Visit to send the request. An in-person visit is not final yet because the family needs to approve it. The result is labelled Request Submitted and says Your visit request has been submitted and is pending approval. You'll receive an email once it's been reviewed.

Until the family approves the request, the page shows only the general area when one is available. Approval is what shares the full visit details.

When you need an account

You can claim a practical need or request an in-person visit while signed out when the Flote is public. The forms ask for your name and email so the family knows who offered help.

Private Flotes work differently. Signed out, you see Private Flote and Request access, rather than the help list. The page says You'll sign in with your email to request access. You need to sign in or create an Aflote account before you can request access and see how you can help.