Technology is playing an increased role in streamlining and improving hunger relief efforts, to eliminate food waste and improve donation systems.
Global hunger is likely the most complex and persistent humanitarian issue. It plagues both wealthy and developing countries alike. The United Nations’ SOFI report (2024) indicates that hunger has increased substantially since the COVID pandemic. It has plateaued for three years, with over 700 million people facing food insecurity in 2023.
Causes for hunger are interrelated. They include higher prices, inflation, food waste, climate change, and global conflict. Considering all these problems, it is challenging for food relief agencies to understand the best places to allocate resources and the most efficient ways to collect resources.
However, improved technological solutions are offering a beacon of hope. Artificial intelligence (AI) integrations are improving efficiency and the speed of data sharing. And blockchain solutions help agencies like the World Food Programme track resource allocation. These improvements and others make it more realistic to achieve the Global Goal of Zero Hunger.
What follows is a synopsis of technological advancements for hunger relief. Then, we discuss how these new advancements, specifically with donation and volunteer management, can help food relief agencies in America and globally improve their capacity.
One of the challenges for food relief agencies is accessing and analyzing data on when, where, and how to best allocate resources. Data analytics can help agencies optimize their resource allocation. Here are some examples.
These integrations are most helpful through the innovations of new mobile apps and digital platforms that connect stakeholders in the food relief ecosystem. They are linking donors and recipients in new ways that enhance collaboration and stimulate new giving.
A specific way technology improves hunger relief efforts is through donation efficacy. Along with helping food donors like supermarkets and restaurants to reduce food waste through swifter allocations, programs are simplifying individual and corporate donations.
Platforms like Classy and Fundraise Up have user-friendly interfaces and secure payment systems that smoothly integrate with Salesforce and other CRM systems.
Golden is a special example of integration innovation, supporting fundraising tools directly within its volunteer management software. The platform’s AI eases tracking and personalizes communication through a new holistic approach to supporting hunger relief.
Features include branded and customizable campaign pages and gamification for rewards with partners like Karats. Users can link with their social media to extend information throughout their networks. These types of tools are helping organizations utilize their volunteer base in new ways, to help where needed most with time and energy, and also support campaigns financially.
Improved fundraising tools reduce the time and effort required for campaigns in a number of ways. Foremost, they automate repetitive tasks like donor tracking and payment processing. They also help automate email campaigns and other outreach tactics. Reducing time for these tasks enables organizations to scale efforts and also to focus on improved donor interactions.
One of the most effective changes is improved customer relationship management (CRM) software, most notably Salesforce. Salesforce integration with volunteer platforms like Golden enhance operational efficiency even further by consolidating volunteer coordination and donor management in one system. Organizations can sync data, track donor activity, and see insights in real-time with customized dashboards. Furthermore, integrated CRM empowers organizations to tailor fundraising campaigns and personalize messaging.
All of these new apps, integrations, and resources are beginning to transform food relief efforts, improving our global capacity to reach the Zero Hunger goal. Here is a summary of the top impacts.
Partnerships between hunger relief organizations and technology providers are transformative, linking the mission-driven focus of non-profits with latest innovation.
Classy, a fundraising platform, has helped hunger relief organizations like Feeding America and Meals on Wheels raise millions of dollars with online campaigns. One notable campaign by Feeding America leveraged Classy to engage corporate partners and individual donors, raising funds to distribute millions of meals nationwide.
Similarly, Golden’s volunteer management platform has been instrumental in creating new solutions for food relief agencies. Feeding America and other large regional food banks partner with Golden to recruit and manage volunteers for food distribution events. The system enables these partners to facilitate fundraising drives with those volunteer networks, amplifying impact through volunteer social sharing. This way, organizations can better utilize their volunteers to give both time and financial support.
One of the top emerging trends is using blockchain for transparency. The World Food Programme has improved efficiency in donations for hundreds of millions with blockchain tech. Platforms like Binance Charity are creating capacity for even more organizations, of all sizes, to track their donation impact.
Also, AI will continue to play an increasing role for optimizing operations and supporting predictive analysis. Broader application will improve the logistics to ensure food surplus is not wasted, reducing the 40% food waste gap in developed countries and supporting more efficient re-allocation.
Future efforts will increasingly rely on platforms like Golden to streamline volunteer recruitment, training, and coordination, merging what were once separate worlds in the nonprofit and food relief sectors. Integrations between these types of technologies and systems will only improve and grow over time, creating a new normal for efficiency and impact.