Food Bank app provides efficiency for users

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank is using smartphones to reach the public in a more productive way.

The Food Bank released its app found in the app store and Google Play store earlier this year that provides efficient service for both the donor and recipient, according to President and CEO Mike Manning.

“We have to connect with our clients,” Manning said. “We have to make sure they know where they can get help. It helps us connect with our donors also whether they want to volunteer money or volunteer to come work. It’s a connection factor and everybody’s got one of these (smartphone) now and they don’t necessarily have a laptop or a computer but they’ve all got cell phones so it’s very important for us to find ways to connect to people. It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to better connect with our clients, better connect with our donors and better connect with our volunteers from their cellphone.”

The app provides information on local distributions in the area as well as a list of agencies where people can get the help they need. App users can adjust settings to be notified when and where food is available.

“This is the best way, most convenient way for them to stay up to date and aware of what’s going on from a food distribution perspective with our organization,” Manning said. “It’s really key for them to be able to connect to be able to receive that information and it’s beautiful that they can do it through their cellphone.”

For donors, the options in the app are at their fingertips.

“It’s beautiful from a donor perspective in that it’s right there,” Manning said. “They don’t have to wait until they get home to get on their laptop to do a donation or to set up to volunteer. When they think about it, they’ve got it right there, they can do it. It’s that immediate opportunity to let the spirit move them and have it happen.”