
Indiana Pupils Clinch National Tech Prize with Hunger Fighting App
- foodfightadmin
- May 5, 2023
- Hunger In America
- rsc pages
- 0 Comments
A group of students from Indiana Digital Learning School (INDLS) have secured the top prize in the national SuitUp Take on Tech challenge. Teams were asked to ideate an app or device that addressed a pressing community issue. INDLS students developed Food Haven, an app connecting businesses like restaurants and grocery stores with food banks and homeless shelters to combat food waste.
Prab Jayachandran, a sophomore at INDLS, expressed his interest in tackling food insecurity. He believes that wasted food could easily alleviate this perennial problem and that this competition provided an ideal platform to discuss the issue, present the app concept, and highlight its potential impact.
INDLS, an online K-12 school within the Union School Corporation, assisted the students in this endeavor. The team had one hour to draft a design, built a marketing strategy, and showcase how the app could benefit the community.
Food Haven aims to prevent food waste by facilitating the transfer of surplus food from businesses to those in need. Restaurants or grocery stores can list available food, which is then claimed by volunteers from food banks or homeless shelters. An inclusive aspect of the app allows anyone from the community to volunteer as a food transporter.
The judges were impressed by Food Haven’s presentation as a movement addressing both food waste and food insecurity. The team confidently presented financials, KPIs, cohesive designs and marketing strategies.
Gina Oakley, career readiness coordinator at INDLS, commended their teamwork and ability to develop a realistic and viable concept.
Although the challenge focused on presenting ideas, Jayachandran is already working on fully developing Food Haven. The design phase, including implementing location-based structures and integrating external resources, may take up to two months. The subsequent coding process could extend for around six months.
This accomplishment by the INDLS team demonstrates their dedication, innovation, and commitment to addressing community issues. Food Haven has the potential to revolutionize food waste reduction and alleviate food insecurity in communities nationwide.