OUR IMPACT

Vince’s Story

Vince is a working father of two on the South Side of Columbus. He needed a meal on a Wednesday, but the information he had was wrong. The site he found did not serve food until Friday. There was another meal on Sunday, but Vince needed to feed his kids today.

That moment showed us the real problem. Hunger is not always just about whether food exists. Sometimes the food is there, but the path to it is outdated, scattered, confusing, or hard to reach by transit.

Hunger Helper makes it easier for Vince, a family member, an older child, or anyone in need to find open community meal sites, check verified information, see hours and access details, and choose the clearest next step.

One card. One search. One clear path from hunger to help.

Our Values

• Access First
  People should be able to find a meal when they need it.
• Accuracy Matters
  Wrong information can cost families time, money, energy, and hope.
• Human Dignity
  No one should have to beg, guess, or ride across town for a closed door.
• Community Powered
  Hunger Helper is built with neighbors, meal sites, volunteers, partners, and people who know the gaps firsthand.
• Data for Good
  We use meal-site data to help leaders, funders, and partners see where support is needed most.
• Remove Barriers
  We focus on the real obstacles: time, transportation, confusing information, changing schedules, and limited access.
• Continuous Improvement
  We update our work regularly and verify meal-site information every three months so Hunger Helper gets stronger over time.

1. Find Food (QR Card ~ Web ~ Chat)🪪
2. Up-To-Date Results (Map or List) 🌎 
3. Trasit Travel to Verified Meal Sites 🍽️

Verified Community Meal Navigator
Helping people find free meals faster — by location, time, transit, accessibility & need.

Food System Optimizer
Turning meal site data into action so communities can see gaps, strengthen capacity, and direct resources where they are needed most.

Chat or Text Coming Soon
Future text support will help neighbors find nearby meals without needing to search through confusing lists or outdated information.

Observation Analysis
Showing where meal access is missing by neighborhood, time, transportation, service type, and urgency.

Emergency Food Response Planning
Helping partners coordinate faster when meal sites are stretched or community food needs increase.

Meal Site Impact Indicators & Stories
Combining data and real community stories to show need, capacity, and investment opportunities.

• 70+ Residents Surveyed
• 85% would use Hunger Helper
• GiveBackHack prototype tested
• Community Sourced Pilot Launch 2026 

Help us get Hunger Helper into the hands of people who need it most.

Our goal : to distribute 5 million Hunger Helper cards nationwide by 2031

Columbus is growing a network of local food systems from emerging co-ops, Urban Farms to local grocery stores all working together to help communities grow stronger.