MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – Access to food resources could become easier with just your phone or laptop. United Way of Marquette County and Innovate Marquette are developing an app to address food insecurity.
United Way of Marquette County Executive Director Andrew Rickauer says the app doesn’t replace food pantries; it just takes the next step.
“I’m always trying to see what we can build and do to actually move the needle, and make it a big lasting change for the community and our residents, and this is it,” Rickauer said.
Innovate Marquette CEO Joe Thiel says the online tool connects people who need assistance, volunteers and 20 organizations in one spot.
“For me to just jump on the application, donate some money into it, see it,” Thiel said. “Maybe when I’m at Meijer Saturday, instead of taking home my groceries, I’m taking home three or four other people’s food; all becomes accessible to me.”
The app can also help people access tools and recipes to make a home-cooked meal with what they have.
“Taking those cans from the TV6 Canathon, when they go to a household, if that household doesn’t have the tools like a simple can opener or to prepare the food or you don’t know how to prepare, then that’s where the app comes in,” Rickauer said.
The app is entering its pilot phase, but Thiel says there’s potential to scale beyond the Marquette County area.
“Emergency responders should be focused on the emergency and life safety,” Thiel said. “If we have this network set up in those events, we could coordinate volunteers more efficiently through geolocation, we could distribute large mass quantities of water and food to the community.”
Rickauer says the goal is to bring the right food to the right people at the right time.
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