Lee University alumni Taylor Jones and Eric Brown are combining their passion for Christian ministry, creative approach, and business skills to create Castaneed, a national online platform for needs awareness and response coordination.

Castaneed aims to increase public awareness and response to needs and disasters as they occur and improve efficiency in coordinating needs and relief efforts. The venture was commissioned by political activist Dr. Randy Brinson in response to the April 27 storms that swept through the southeast. In the aftermath of the disaster, the need for clear communication and a unified community effort was clear. Jones and Brown have found a solution.

The website will offer information about community needs, as well as the opportunity for hands-on service and financial giving. Individuals, churches, and non-profit organizations will be able to register online, becoming part of the network to better connect their help and service to those in need.

Castaneed is just one of the projects of the Whiteboard Network, the creative organization pioneered by Jones and Brown. Their individual backgrounds and skill sets, Jones in information technology and Brown in sociological and religious research, were compatible for the company’s goals.

Since Sept. 2010, Whiteboard has worked on over 50 projects, including the non-profit organization Second Life Chattanooga, under the direction of Lee alum Jerry Redman, as well as working with alum Myles Matsuno to create “Under the Sun,” an official short film of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Jones graduated from Lee in 2010 with an accounting degree and serves as the Development Director for the business. Brown graduated in 2009 with a degree in discipleship ministry and is the Creative Director of Whiteboard Network. Dedicated to community change and storytelling, they describe their company as “a creative agency for fresh ideas and purposeful ventures.”

Their collaborative efforts began during their time at Lee, working with Dr. Jimmy Harper to develop chapel services. According to Harper, Jones and Brown “have carried their chapel planning experience into every aspect of their current life. They see everything they do as an opportunity to positively impact the world around them in a meaningful way.”

Currently, Whiteboard is in the process of fundraising for the Castaneed project, and anticipates launching the site in the next few months. For more information, view the prototype at www.castaneed.org, or email Eric Brown at [email protected]