San Rafael, CA – The holiday season is a time when food resources can be tight. Many low-income individuals and families are not eligible for food assistance programs and have difficulty finding local resources. Now, a free, bilingual mobile application pulls content from key data sources specific to Marin County to help people find low-cost food sites near them.
The County of Marin and partner stakeholders are trying to connect hungry local residents with low-cost, healthy food.The app, Food Now Marin, was launched in collaboration with
Marin Health and Human Services (HHS), and the County’s
Information Services and Technology (IST) Department after engaging with the Marin Food Policy Council. Fifteen community stakeholder groups, including Community Action Marin, contributed to the app’s development.
Content from two data sources, the SF-Marin Food Bank and the HHS Community Resource Guide, help residents track down local food assistance sites such as food banks, pantries, congregate meals, and home-delivered meals for homebound seniors.
Why would such an app be useful in Marin, which has a reputation as one of the wealthiest and healthiest counties in the country? Because one in five local residents are at risk for hunger. In a county with an average resident age on the rise, one third of older adults is at a high risk of nutrition problems. A quarter of Marin’s kids are eligible for school meal assistance. In short, many lack access to healthy, fresh and affordable food.
“There is a need within the community for more coordination around accessible food resources, and we believe that the Food Now Marin mobile app helps fulfill that need,” said Reba Meigs, HHS Public Health Program Manager. “We are excited to receive feedback from providers and clients and to further refine this tool.”
The app user can view, in English or Spanish, a list of local food resources along with the location, description, contact information, website, and cost details for the food. Information can be searched by ZIP code as well.
Food Now Marin app promotional kits are available for any community-based organization serving low-income clients who need food assistance resources. The kit provides posters, business cards with a QR code to download the app, frequently asked questions, and copies of the Food Resource Guide.
Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play to download the free app today.
For more information or to receive a kit, contact at foodguide@marincounty.org.