Food Cycle is the Congressional App Challenge Winner for US House TX-37!

The Computely initiative rebuilt how food waste is redistributed from vendors to banks and end consumers.

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What inspired you to create this app?

The inspiration for FoodCycle emerged from the stark paradox of food waste and hunger that plague our society. From our elementary years to now being high school students, we have witnessed firsthand the wastage of fresh, edible food in places like the cafeteria. This micro-level experience highlighted the potential for the preservation and distribution of surplus food.

On a broader scale, the United States grapples with the alarming fact that roughly one-third of all food goes to waste while millions face food insecurity. Even starker, 1.2 tons of food are wasted by supermarkets and restaurants every week. This paradox fueled our determination to develop a solution that addresses both problems simultaneously. We aimed to redirect food away from landfills and toward those who could benefit from it.

Additionally, we worked to empower local food markets and businesses to share their surplus food with the community. We envisioned an app that provided them with a secure, efficient, and rewarding platform to do so. FoodCycle catalyzes positive change, generating benefits that extend to the environment, the supply chain, and the welfare of our fellow citizens.  

Please briefly describe what your app does.

FoodCycle is an innovative app that aims to tackle food waste and hunger issues in our society. It connects food banks, soup kitchens, and non-profit/charity food redistribution organizations with local food markets, businesses, and vendors such as HEB and Whole Foods that have excess products on shelves. The app efficiently redistributes surplus food and ensures timely delivery to those in need through these nonprofits. It addresses both waste reduction and hunger alleviation through an intuitive user interface and comprehensive tracking features.

FoodCycle functions like an online marketplace, bringing communities together to fight against food insecurity by providing businesses with a convenient platform to share excess food and making it easy for end-users to access these vital resources. Additionally, the price of each item displayed on the app is heavily discounted from its retail price, with the entire amount going towards transportation and maintenance costs.

This groundbreaking solution transforms wasted resources into nourishment for those who need it the most.