Is Rose A Scammer On The Swoovy Dating App In Austin Tx?

Jennifer Forchelli, 38, and Tim Elias, 51, joke around while volunteering at Central Texas Food Bank in Austin on July 3. After meeting on Swoovy, a new Austin-based dating app that connects matches to volunteer opportunities, the two pulled damaged leaves off cabbages for their first date. [Angela Piazza for Statesman]

It's Jennifer Forchelli and Tim Elias' first date, and they're washing cabbage.

This isn't your usual first date over drinks or dinner.

The two have never met. They were matched through Swoovy, a new Austin-based dating app that connects compatible users to volunteer opportunities around town for their first date.

Forchelli, 38, and Elias, 51, spent a recent Wednesday evening at Central Texas Food Bank, one of a handful of volunteer events that Swoovy users can select on the app.

After an hour cleaning and bagging cabbage, the pair recapped their evening in the food bank's warehouse.

"We were just conversing while doing an activity, so I think that made it less pressure," Forchelli said. "You were helping the kids, and I was like, he's so sweet! You're helping the kid with the bag of cabbage."

Forchelli works for a package delivery startup called Fetch.

Elias is the founder of Gluten Free Yourself Kitchen. Instead of flowers, he said, he brought Forchelli gluten-free bagels.

"Most people who are on Tinder, they just want to meet and go do their thing," Elias said. "This is like, you're meeting someone who's willing to give their time, donate their time. You figure that's a plus."

Swoovy users set up their accounts like any other dating app, marking their preferred gender, age, height, age and more. Then they can connect with others by liking any of three potential matches each day. Users also can find connections by marking that they're interested in a volunteer event.

Swoovy CEO Brooke Waupsh co-founded the dating app with Jeff McMahon. Waupsh, a 35-year-old Austin native, said the idea for the app came from discussions with friends and local nonprofits.

"The idea has been in the works for a year and a half," Waupsh said. "I'm surrounded daily by single friends and single family members, all hearing and discussing the online dating world today. How do you meet better people?"

Waupsh started by reaching out to organizations around town, asking if an app like Swoovy would be helpful. She wanted activities that could cover a range of interests — from indoors to outdoors, playing with animals to gardening.

Amelia Long, the food bank's director of community engagement, said the organization wanted to work with Swoovy to get the word out about volunteering at the food bank.

Central Texas Food Bank does not yet have a way to track how many volunteers are Swoovy daters. Other volunteer opportunities on the app include gardening with Urban Roots, walking dogs for Hound Rescue Central Texas and hosting a studio session for the homeless through Art from the Streets.

Waupsh knows she's up against a huge online dating market. She estimates that Swoovy has had 3,000 downloads since it launched in November.

Bumble, a popular woman-focused dating app, is also based in Austin and has more than 50 million users.

But Waupsh said Swoovy stands out from the crowd because it gives daters an instant connection to talk about while they are volunteering. Even if the date doesn't go well, Waupsh said, Swoovy users won't feel like they wasted their time because they're helping a local organization.

"I do think that there's space because there is a lot of opportunity for innovation in this industry," she said. "There's really high demand. Every person is using a dating app if you're single now."

Swoovy is still being bootstrapped, but the startup has reached 25% of its first funding round goal. There are two full-time employees, including Waupsh, and four part-time employees.

As for Forchelli and Elias, the two headed to dinner after their date.

The following morning, they both agreed that they might be better off as friends.

"I'm getting the vibe that we don't want the same thing, but I had so much fun," Forchelli said. "I could see us becoming best friends."