Fighting Hunger Through Feeding Forward
At our recent Innovation Alley at Israel in the Gardens, Feeding Forward, an online platform that fights hunger locally by connecting food shelters with the abundant supply of consumable food in our community, won the Roselyne C. Swig Innovation Prize. Congratulations to this innovative start-up! Below is an interview with Komal Ahmad, CEO & Founder of Feeding Forward
How did you get involved with Innovation Alley and Federation?
I met Adam Swig (the founder of Innovation Alley) through the American Jewish Committee. Jennah Craig, a good mutual friend, connected us. After speaking further, Adam invited Feeding Forward to participate in the inaugural Innovation Alley and "compete" for the Roselyne C. Swig Tikkun Olam Award. He was very impressed by the work my team and I were doing, especially our determination to help heal the world through hunger and food waste alleviation mobile and web apps.
What is Feeding Forward and how does it aligns with Federation’s mission to invest in high potential ideas to strengthen the Jewish future
Feeding Forward is an online and mobile platform that connects those with excess consumable food to those in need of food. It utilizes the speed and accessibility of smartphone applications and a cloud-based platform to streamline food donations. With our iPhone app, people with excess food can post donations to Feeding Forward’s online network. Our algorithm is then used to match this donation with a nearby human service organization, such as a homeless shelter, based on their exact needs. It also selects and notifies a nearby volunteer who is available to pick up the donation. The Jewish community is renowned for its dedication to tikkun olam (healing the world), and helping Feeding Forward combat hunger and food waste in the Bay Area is a great way for the Jewish Community Federation to make a profound impact in local, national, and eventually international communities. We're currently in conversations with the Federation and local rabbis as we attempt to better pinpoint where the needy people in our community are, and discover how to best expand our recipient and volunteer bases.
How do people who want to learn more contact you?
Visit us at feedingforward.org, and download the Feeding Forward iPhone app from the Apple App Store. Our organization is entirely volunteer-led and driven, thus having volunteer drivers and food rescue ambassadors is essential. Food transporters are the backbone of Feeding Forward, so visiting feedingforward.org and generously signing up to transport food between donors and recipients in the Bay Area is a great way to get involved, even if it’s only for an hour a week. If you are an individual, or part of an organization or corporation that has excess food to donate, even if it’s only occasionally, you can can sign up as a donor on our website or through our iPhone app. If your organization is in need of food, you can sign up as a recipient on our website, and answer a few simple questions about yourself and your organization, so we can link you to the most appropriate donations when they are posted.
Regardless of where you live, you can support us financially by visiting our website, clicking on “Donate Money”, and entering the amount of money you would like to donate. Your generous donation directly enhances Feeding Forward’s ability to feed more of the Bay Area’s in-need recipients. A contribution of any amount will make you a member of Friends of Feeding Forward. Members will receive newsletters and exclusive invitations to special events, and other member benefits and gifts. Please make a generous donation today to help Feeding Forward reduce food waste and hunger, and build a more just and sustainable food system. Thank you in advance!
Feeding Forward team with Adam Swig (L)
