Access To Food

I am examining the topic of economics and ACCESS to food.

In particular, I’m doing some volunteer work with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and one of their core issues is connecting their constituents with services that would benefit them. The challenges are many, but a few of particular interest to me:

  • what are the challenges and organization like the food bank faces when trying to keep in touch with those who need their services, especially in situations where timely communication is key?
  • how does an organization like theirs arrange the physical transfer of food? what goes wrong?
  • what are ancillary programs an organization like the food bank offers that can make a major change in the quality of life for people in need?
  • how can the food bank help someone get out of the cycle of needing their services?
  • what are opportunities for others outside of the circle of need to contribute, how can they be prepared for what they’ll experience as volunteers, and where can they make impact?

I think there’s a great deal of potential for design to help the organization. Although the issues they face are not exactly about sharing information in a manner aligned with ‘Access’ as a topic, I feel it’s a relevant tangent to the ideas of sharing and could spur thinking about the topic from a different perspective.