Jonesboro, AR – The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas has launched an innovative digital platform called ‘Vivery.’ This tool helps residents find food pantries easily and quickly. With Vivery, users can simply enter their address or allow the app to use their current location to discover nearby food pantries, distribution events, and meal programs.
Jennifer Hannah, the Chief Program Officer, highlights the platform’s ease of use. “Our agency partners can log in and update their information directly. Before, our staff had to do that. Now, it’s faster and more efficient,” she explains.
One standout feature is the text messaging capability. This allows the Food Bank to send out immediate alerts to the community, especially during critical times. Hannah notes its impact during a recent winter storm, where they could quickly inform the public about food distribution efforts.
Vivery aims to ease the stress of seeking assistance. Users can filter available options by categories like “Open Today,” “Curbside Pickup,” and “Wheelchair Accessibility.” This detailed information helps ease any worries about visiting a pantry.
“We want to ensure no one feels anxious when seeking food help due to lack of information,” Hannah adds. The platform even shows “fresh” badges on agency profiles to indicate that their hours and locations have been verified recently, reducing the chance of arriving at a closed site.
Furthermore, Vivery allows the Food Bank to analyze regional needs. By tracking user searches, the organization can identify areas that lack available services. This data helps them better serve the community.
The Food Bank’s commitment to innovation is significant in today’s context. According to recent statistics from Feeding America, in 2023, 34 million people in the U.S. struggled with hunger. Tools like Vivery can make a difference by improving access and information in real time.
For more information about available food resources, visit the Food Bank’s website and check out the interactive map here.
The Food Bank has also introduced two new text alert lines:
