A transformative Food System Navigator designed to tackle a critical barrier in emergency food access: the lack of reliable, safe, and up-to-date information. Bread connects individuals facing food insecurity directly with food providers, ensuring that the information about available resources is both current and trustworthy.
Bread is a web app, which means it’s accessible on any device with a web browser and doesn’t require app store downloads. This allows users to connect effortlessly without installing software. Additionally, web apps ensure a consistent user experience across desktop, mobile, and tablet devices.
The situation
Calgary faces a significant challenge with food insecurity, a situation exacerbated by a 23% rise in grocery prices since 2020. As of mid-2023, 16.4% of Canadians have difficulty accessing affordable food, while an alarming 11.2% have resorted to using food banks.
This growing crisis is further highlighted by the high usage of the Calgary Food Map, which, despite its recent updates and nearly 25,000 monthly visits, still relies on manual updates, indicating a critical need for a more dynamic and sustainable solution.
Ethics & Design Philosophy
Bread’s development is deeply informed by direct feedback from both food seekers and providers. This collaborative approach ensures that the platform meets the practical needs of its users, by utilizing a human-scale approach to design that aims to empower users in their own journey experiencing food insecurity. By continuously integrating user input into its development, Bread maintains its relevance and reliability, fostering trust among its community of users.
User Journey
For Food Seekers: Bread provides an intuitive interface where food seekers can quickly access verified and updated listings of available food resources. The platform allows users to search and filter information according to their needs, ensuring they can trust the accuracy and safety of the information provided. This reduces the uncertainty often associated with locating emergency food services.
For Food Providers: Bread offers a straightforward mechanism for providers to keep their information current with minimal effort. The platform’s design includes easy-to-use tools for updating service details, availability, and other critical information. This feature not only simplifies the management of listings but also ensures that the data food seekers rely on is accurate and reflective of current offerings.
Anticipated Outcomes/Impact
By removing barriers to accessing food resources through fostering up-to-date reliable information, Bread aims to significantly enhance the efficiency of food distribution efforts in Calgary. The platform’s user-focused design ensures that both seekers and providers experience a seamless interaction, enhancing the overall effectiveness of food assistance services. Anticipated outcomes include a reduction in the time and effort spent by seekers in finding food resources and an increase in the capacity of providers to manage and disseminate their service information effectively. Ultimately, Bread is expected to create a more responsive and dependable emergency food network, fostering a stronger, more supportive community.
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#900, 105 – 12 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2G 1A1
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
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