INDIANAPOLIS — New data driven software launched by an Indy based organization looking to help local food organizations feed more hungry Hoosiers.
According to Indy Hunger Network recent report, 730,000 Hoosiers face hunger and 240,000 in Marion County need food assistance.
A press conference was held Thursday to highlight the new food management software called SALTview launched by Faith Hope Love and Community INC., a local organization that has worked to eliminate food insecurity since 2005.
Their new software aims to target smaller to medium sized food pantries and food access organizations with a tool that uses advanced technology to help them become sustainable.
"Food pantries can simply use it by entering data of their clients or recipients at food pantries and out of those data then we, or they will be able to get the information,” explained Merlin Gonzales, the President and CEO of Faith Hope and Love Community INC.
Lowry is an urban farmer and is one of nearly a dozen programs that will use SALTview.
"We like to capture you know information about who we're serving specific client needs of the people that we're serving,” said Autumn Lowry, the Founder of From the Ground Up Foods
The software makes it simple for organizations to track information like age, race, socio-economic status, and more.
These are important demographics food access organizations need to better serve their communities.
"We're an Asian population and majority African American and very high rates of diabetes and heart disease,” said Lowry. "We're able to put together meal kits for them that have little to no meat or healthy meat choices and incorporate our produce."
Organizations using the service also hope the data driven reporting system makes it easier to get funding.
"I'm hoping to be able to access some grants, maybe private donors just to see that we really are impacting the community,” said Kim Scott-Miller, Director for the Father's Table Missional Food Pantry
The new software also aims to help food access organizations recognize their communities need beyond food insecurity.
"On an individual need on employment and maybe underemployed and maybe they need more counseling for addiction or whatever no they'll be able to send the people to those resources,” said Gonzales.
The SALTview software is subscription based, but Faith Hope and Love Community INC. is looking to get state or city funding to help sponsor the service for more local food access organizations across central Indiana.
The service has also been rolled out to states outside of Indiana, including Maryland, Washington D.C., and Michigan.
