By Lani Furbank
In 2015, 42.2 million Americans were living in food insecure households, according to Feeding America. Hunger is a serious issue in the U.S. and around the world, but technology has the power to help fight food insecurity with unique and efficient solutions that help people in need. The NYC Food Policy Center has compiled a list of 16 promising apps and technologies to help reduce food insecurity.
Copia
What it does: Copia enables businesses and events in San Francisco to donate their extra food to those in need and receive a tax write-off and a reduction in disposal costs.
How it works: Businesses can request a pickup of their surplus food through Copia’s platform and a driver will pick up the food and deliver it to people in need. Nonprofit organizations can sign up and request food donations. They will receive a phone call to accept or reject a donation, and then the food will be delivered.
Why it’s interesting: The for-profit company focuses on feeding the hungry, but appeals to businesses with tax deductions (including reporting tools) and reduction in disposal costs. They also pay their drivers instead of relying on volunteers.
What can be learned from the app: For-profit models can sometimes allow for greater impact and effectiveness than nonprofit models because there isn’t a reliance on volunteers and donors.
Created by: Komal Ahmad
Website: https://www.gocopia.com/
Cost: Free app, volume-based fees apply for pickups for businesses at a rate of 30 to 50 cents per pound depending on frequency and volume.
Future of the app: The service area could be expanded across the world.
Data Mapping
What it does: Data mapping allows nonprofits to display data sets over geographical regions to identify areas where food relief is needed.
How it works: Data sets from various sources are added to mapping programs to create visual depictions of where hunger is concentrated in communities. These maps, called heat maps, show where food aid is needed so that nonprofits can focus their efforts more effectively.
Why it’s interesting: The technology converts data sets into a tangible form that allows nonprofits to better understand the communities they serve.
What can be learned from the technology: Visualizing abstract data can help create concrete solutions.
Created by: Capital Area Food Bank
Website: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2015/06/19/apps-and-maps-harnessed-to-address-food-insecurity/
Cost: N/A
Future of the technology: The technology is currently being used in Washington, D.C., but could be expanded nationally.
Feedie
What it does: Feedie allows people to feed impoverished children in South Africa by sharing photos of their food.
How it works: Diners link the Feedie app to their social networks, visit a participating restaurant, and use the app to share a photo of their meal. The restaurant will make a donation of 25 cents to The Lunchbox Fund, which is the estimated cost of one meal for a child.
Why it’s interesting: The process requires minimal effort from diners, and participating restaurants receive exposure via social media in exchange for their donations. The restaurants can also promote their participation in Feedie as a social benefit.
What can be learned from the app: Publicity is a powerful incentive, and philanthropic goals should draw from things people are already doing (such as taking photos of their food and sharing them).
Created by: The Lunchbox Fund
Website: https://www.wethefeedies.com/
Cost: Free for diners, donation of 25 cents per photo for restaurants (made in an annual $500 donation).
Future of the app: Photo sharing could increase in popularity so that restaurants are donating more than $500 each year. Feedie could also incentivize “likes” or “shares” of photos taken and shared in the app.
Food Cowboy
What it does: Food Cowboy seeks to end food waste by connecting food companies around the U.S. who have food to donate with charities that support people who need food.
How it works: Companies post food donations and locations on the app, Food Cowboy contacts charities nearby, and the company and charity arrange for a delivery, pickup, or transfer.
Why it’s interesting: The platform allows direct interaction between the donor and the beneficiary. The company invests 2/3 of its revenue in food charities and waste-reducing businesses and technology.
What can be learned from the app: Facilitating interaction can be an effective hands-off way to prevent food waste.
Created by: Roger Gordon, Barbara Cohen, and Richard Gordon
Website: https://www.foodcowboy.com/
Cost: Free
Future of the app: The service area could be expanded across the world.
FoodLoop
What it does: FoodLoop uses grocery inventory data to provide targeted deals for consumers based on when food will expire.
How it works: Using an algorithm that considers sell-by dates, the app automatically optimizes prices to incentivize purchases. It then offers these deals to consumers based on personal preferences.
Why it’s interesting: The app appeals to those in need of affordable food options as well as those looking to prevent food waste at the grocery store. The software communicates with companies’ retail platforms.
What can be learned from the app: Integration and usability are key for both companies and consumers.
Created by: FoodLoop
Website: https://www.foodloop.net/en/
Cost: Free
Future of the app: The app has not launched yet, but it is currently in beta testing.
GiftAMeal
What it does: GiftAMeal allows diners to donate meals to hungry people in their community by dining at a participating restaurant in Illinois or Missouri and taking a photo of their food.
How it works: A restaurant pays a monthly fee to participate in the GiftAMeal program. Diners eat at participating restaurants and take a photo and share it within the app (which notifies the diner’s friends). GiftAMeal funds the distribution of one meal from a food bank to a food pantry.
Why it’s interesting: The app focuses on in-app sharing, with social media sharing as a secondary option.
What can be learned from the app: Publicity is a powerful incentive, and philanthropic goals should draw from things people are already doing (such as taking photos of their food and sharing them).
Created by: Andrew Glantz and Aidan Folbe
Website: https://giftameal.com/
Cost: Free for customers, tiered monthly fee for restaurants ($50-$200).
Future of the app: The app is currently only available in St. Louis, but it could expand nationally or internationally.
Hunger Crunch
What it does: Hunger Crunch donates the proceeds from in-app game purchases to feed children in eight countries around the world.
How it works: Users play the free game and purchase “candy coins” to use in the game. Proceeds from the purchases go to Rice Bowls, the creator of the app, and is used to feed children.
Why it’s interesting: Rice Bowls uses a free, entertaining game to draw users in and then introduces philanthropy by asking them to make in-app purchases that benefit a charity.
What can be learned from the app: Entertainment and viral popularity are powerful tools for marketing charitable causes.
Created by: Rice Bowls
Website: https://www.zeropercent.us/
Cost: Free app, in-app purchase costs vary.
Future of the app: The charity is active in eight countries, but with more funding, this could expand.
Olio
What it does: Olio connects people and retailers to facilitate the sharing of surplus food.
How it works: Users can post items on the app to give away or sell, others can view the items and request what they want. Users can arrange exchanges in person or utilize Olio drop boxes in local establishments.
Why it’s interesting: There are community guidelines as to what can be offered on the app, but there isn’t an official regulation framework in place. Users receive ranks to indicate how much experience they have using the app.
What can be learned from the app: Accessible social forums allow altruism to manifest in a safe manner.
Created by: Saasha Celestial-One and Tessa Cook
Website: https://olioex.com/
Cost: App is free, cost of items vary (but all items must be sold for at least 50% off retail price).
Future of the app: The app is available in 38 countries (including the entirety of the U.S.) but the reach could be expanded. The app is currently not making a profit, but the company hopes to eventually take a commission from sold items.
PareUp
What it does: PareUp allows businesses to sell leftover food at a discount.
How it works: The app provides a platform for retailers to post their unsold, not expired food at a discounted rate. Users can browse nearby offers and redeem them in the store.
Why it’s interesting: The app focuses on increasing profit for businesses by selling food that would otherwise have to be thrown away at the end of the day.
What can be learned from the app: Giving businesses control over their sales and providing access to consumers allows for a hands-off solution to food waste and food insecurity.
Created by: N/A
Website: https://www.pareup.com/app
Cost: Free to use app, prices of food items vary by retailer.
Future of the app: The app is only available in New York City, but could be expanded nationally or internationally.
Satellite Technologies for Improved Drought Risk Assessment (SATIDA)
What it does: SATIDA monitors climate and environmental conditions via satellite and then analyzes and combines the information to provide drought risk assessment information so that aid organizations and residents can better prepare for periods of food insecurity.
How it works: SATIDA uses earth observation technology to monitor rainfall, temperature, vegetation health, and soil moisture to monitor drought and create additional models for drought prediction. It also facilitates the collection of socio-economic information on household, village, and regional levels. This information is analyzed and translated into practical, visual information that aid organizations can use to prepare for food insecurity that may be caused by droughts.
Why it’s interesting: The app focuses on a practical and life-changing use for earth observation technology.
What can be learned from the app: Complicated satellite data can be incredibly useful to aid organizations and farmers when translated into an approachable and usable format.
Created by: Markus Enenkel
Website: https://satida.net
Cost: N/A
Future of the app: The creator of SATIDA is building upon the work of his team with new projects at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at The Earth Institute at Columbia University. This work uses satellite data and participatory processes with farmers around the world to link satellite-detected anomalies to impacts on the ground. The objective is to allow farmers to take the risk of additional agricultural inputs (such as drought-resistant seeds to increase their yields in normal or good years via affordable microinsurance.
SavingStar
What it does: SavingStar helps users save money on groceries.
How it works: When a consumer shops at a participating grocery store in the U.S., they can link their rewards cards or submit their receipt to the app to redeem offers and earn money back.
Why it’s interesting: The app aggregates various grocery stores and rewards programs.
What can be learned from the app: Easy to use programs can have a significant impact.
Created by: N/A
Website: https://savingstar.com/
Cost: Free
Future of the app: The app could be expanded beyond chain grocery stores to incorporate more local retailers.
ShareBite
What it does: ShareBite donates a portion of the profit from take-out orders at participating restaurants to City Harvest or the charitable organization of the user’s choice.
How it works: A user orders a take-out meal through ShareBite, and the app either donates a meal to City Harvest or two percent of the profit to a cause of the user’s choice.
Why it’s interesting: Users don’t have to do anything extra for the donation – like pay a fee or share a photo. They simply order through the app.
What can be learned from the app: Philanthropic goals should draw from things people are already doing (such as ordering take-out).
Created by:
Website: https://sharebite.com/
Cost: Free app, food prices vary based on establishment.
Future of the app: The app is only available in New York City, but could be expanded nationally or internationally.
Share the Meal
What it does: Share the Meal allows people to make donations to feed children in various locations around the world.
How it works: Donors download the app and tap to make a $0.50 donation that will feed a child for the day. The UN World Food Programme provides the meals and illustrates where the meals have been distributed.
Why it’s interesting: The platform doesn’t have any special algorithms or features, it’s a simple donation interface.
What can be learned from the app: Turning something into an app can make it more accessible and desirable for people to use.
Created by: UN World Food Programme
Website: https://sharethemeal.org/en/
Cost: Free app, meal donations cost $0.50.
Future of the app: Donations could be expanded to include sponsorships for extended periods of time, or to support food production education or other lasting services.
Spare
What it does: Spare allows diners to round up their bills at restaurants to feed hungry New Yorkers.
How it works: Diners use the app to round up their dining bills at a partner restaurant to the nearest dollar, donating the extra change to Food Bank for New York City and City Harvest. The organizations use the money to fund their work to feed hungry New Yorkers. Users can share their donations and track their impact. To become a partner restaurant, an establishment must agree to offer a system of rewards, as laid out by Spare.
Why it’s interesting: The app provides rewards, such as free dishes or discounts, to incentivize rounding bills up.
What can be learned from the app: Taking a physical concept (donating change after a purchase) and making it digital can widen spread and impact.
Created by: N/A
Website: https://sparenyc.org/
Cost: Free app, donations of spare change up to $1.
Future of the app: The app is only available in New York City, but could be expanded nationally or internationally.
Tango Tab
What it does: TangoTab donates the cost of a meal to a local food charity each time a user dines out a participating restaurant.
How it works: Users locate participating restaurants and check in through the app. TangoTab donates the cost of a meal (using the fee from the participating restaurant) to a local food charity.
Why it’s interesting: The app uses publicity for restaurants as an incentive to join the program.
What can be learned from the app: Patronage at a specific establishment can be encouraged by tapping into individuals’ altruistic tendencies.
Created by: Andre Angel
Website: https://tangotab.com/
Cost: Free app, price of meals for diners varies by restaurant. Restaurants pay a fee to TangoTab to be listed in the app.
Future of the app: The app is only available in a handful of cities, including Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, New York City, NY, Austin, TX, San Diego, CA, Oklahoma City, OK, Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA, and Atlanta, GA, but could be expanded nationally or internationally.
WIC Shopper
What it does: WIC Shopper allows users to instantly determine whether a specific food item is eligible for WIC benefits.
How it works: The app provides personalized information about WIC benefits based on state and WIC card number. Users can scan products to verify WIC eligibility before heading to the register.
Why it’s interesting: The app provides convenience and confidence for a shopper using WIC benefits.
What can be learned from the app: Simplifying this process maximizes benefits and eliminates disputes.
Created by: JPMA
Website: https://www.ebtshopper.com/
Cost: Free.
Future of the app: The app could be expanded to include more interactivity and features.
Photo credit: GiftAMeal
