Summary

Final Deliverable

My Capstone project started out as an app for college students experiencing food insecurity. This changed to be a mobile first website to connect students with existing resources. A number of factors played into this decision, including the lower cost of owning a phone, accessibility for students using a computer on campus, and the stigma of hunger and poverty that might influence a student’s willingness to download an app. I focused on the user experience process to create a website that is simple and easy to use, limiting the number of screens to avoid “losing” a user.

A secondary component of the website is a way for the community to support existing campus food pantries; whether it’s their alma mater, a local food pantry, or one where they have a personal connection; by donating food, money or time - ultimately creating hope around the issue of college hunger.

Next Steps

Going forward, I don’t know where this may live. I believe that a college-specific application is relevant given the insular nature of the college campus community and would love to see this project become a reality.

Thoughts on the impact of Covid-19

There is a significant increase in need; students are facing lost income, additional expenses for remote learning, and have been excluded from many of the support programs. In addition to campus closings, students’ location is in flux - on campus, off campus, and home.

End Notes

The Food For Thought Bibliography can be found here.
The Food For Thought Progress Platform can be found on Instagram.