THE PRODUCE TRUCK
Food Distribution Solution for South L.A.
App Design Winner during the 2016 TEDx SOLA Hackathon
in partnership with General Assembly
Design Thinking and Social Entrepreneurship Hackathon
for South LOS ANGELES
In this hackathon, participants used design thinking, UX design methods, and web development skills in an entrepreneurial spirit to address social, economic, and environmental challenges specific to South Los Angeles.
PROBLEM
South Los Angeles has a dire food desert problem. The community is home to 800,000 people and spans 60 square miles.
Transportation to healthy food options is scarce. Families without cars are at a disadvantage.
Many families are on food stamp programs, however most retailers that accept food stamps do not offer a large variety of fresh produce.
1 in 2 adults in Los Angeles County are either overweight or obese.
Liquor stores and fast food places can be found on any block, however grocery stores are few and far between.
Quality of food is poor and the prices are high, resulting in unhealthy eating habits among the communities living there.
Stamp recipients make bad dietary choices due to restrained options.
South Los Angeles has the highest rate of childhood and adult obesity in
Los Angeles County.
USER PERSONA
SOLUTION
Our project mission is to address the limited access to healthy food options, specifically fresh products to economically challenged communities in South Los
Angeles. Our proposed solution is Grocery Food Trucks, which deliver food to neighborhoods in South LA on a daily basis. We will create a thriving social enterprise by partnering with local grocery chains, farms, restaurants, and community gardens in order to get fresh produce, in the form of donations or discounted prices. The healthy food will be sold to lower income families at below market value and can be purchased with money or food stamps.
Our food trucks are a more innovative and successful approach to reforming SNPA (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program). We believe in making healthy food both accessible and affordable.
PHOTOS
CREDITS
TEAM MEMBERS
Lucy Bi, Visual Designer
Julio Almanza, Coder
Suresh Jayatar, UX Designer
Ingrid Dietrich, Visual Designer
JUDGES
Julian Scaff, UXDI at General Assembly
Zaneta Smith, TEDxCrenshaw
Leslie Wall, Director of Public Infrastructure Development and Community Programming for the City of L.A.