HeroByApp™
The Founding 50

50 Heroes. 50 States.

Honor a Hero. Open a State. Know the Source.

The HeroByApp™ Founding 50 honors one extraordinary community Hero in each of the fifty states. Each Hero’s recognition opens verified civic access for their entire state, one trusted place where local organizations publish information residents can trace to the source. Indiana is the first state activated. Click the map to explore, and nominate the Hero who opens yours.

Click your state.

Indiana is live. Every other state is waiting for its Hero.
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Live · click to explore Coming · nominate a Hero
Hover a state to begin.
Indiana opens the record of its Founding 50 Hero. Any other state takes you to nominate the Hero who will open it.

The Inaugural Honoree

Indiana · State #1 of the Founding 50
Sergeant Major Mary L. Aurtrey (Ret.) with the HeroByApp Honor Medal
Sergeant Major Mary L. Aurtrey, U.S. Army (Retired)
The first of fifty.
On July 29, 2026, in Indianapolis, Mary L. Aurtrey became Indiana’s inaugural Founding 50 Charter Honoree. Two decades in uniform, and a lifetime of service after. Her recognition opened verified civic access across Indiana and honored the twenty organizations and communities she has served.
Read Mary’s story See the Indiana record

How the Founding 50 works

One Hero opens a whole state.
1
Nominate a Hero
A community member nominates an extraordinary local leader in their state. Free, and it takes about two minutes.
2
Honor and Virtual Key
The selected Hero is honored at an official ceremony and receives a Virtual Key that opens verified civic access across their state.
3
Statewide verified access
Every agency, nonprofit, business, and resident can claim a verified profile and publish local information people can trace to the source.

Open your state next.

Forty-nine states are still waiting for their Hero.
Nominate a Hero in your state Explore the Indiana record