Relieving Food Insecurity
for Seniors in America
Revealing design opportunities for alternative futures where seniors have the support to access the nutritious food they need to live a healthy active life. Where Feeding America is better positioned to help increase food security across America.
This report is the outcomes and insight into a 14 week collaboration between Feeding America and IIT–Institute of Design. It captures an understanding of the current state of how the senior population (60+ years) accesses food in the greater Chicago area
Guidance by Carlos Teixeira, Andre Nogueira
Client: Feeding America
WHY THE SENIOR POPULATION?
By 2050, the senior population in the US will expand to nearly double, reaching 84 million seniors in America. Correspondingly, the rate of food insecurity among seniors is increasing as access to unhealthy foods becomes more accessible and financially feasible.According to the Feeding America and AARP Foundation report Facing Hunger After Fifty, the number of food insecure seniors in the general population increased by 130% between 2001 to 2012.
HOW CAN FEEDING AMERICA HELP?
Feeding America is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in America. It provides food to people through its network of 200 food banks supplying food and programming to 60,000 agencies around the United States for the last 35 years. Feeding America aims to re-imagine the future of food services that will meet their vision of a hunger-free America by first understanding the needs of their clients and beneficiaries.
FRAMING THE PROBLEM
How might Feeding America increase food security in the senior population across the USA reaching individuals who are not already utilizing services?
OUR APPROACH
This report is the outcomes and insight into a 14 week collaboration between Feeding America and IIT–Institute of Design. It captures an understanding of the current state of how the senior population (60+ years) accesses food in the greater Chicago area.
DISCOVERY METHODS
WHAT WE LEARNED
Why do seniors experince food insequrity?
What does it take for seniors to access food and eat meals?
How do seniors understand their eating options and make decisions?
DESIGN FOR ALTERNATIVE FUTURE
From our insights and research findings we created design principles to create a sustainable system empowering seniors to take action in the programs provided, to utilize their knowledge and capabilities as assets within the community.
OUR RECOMMENDATION
Infrastructuring Feeding America as a broker
This system map provides a clear understanding of potential stakeholders to be involved in the proposed designed system. Through the brokering of knowledge, resources and networks, key stakeholders such as community builders, technology companies, and other organizations could build new relations and leverage existing assets to better serve seniors.
The proposed system of interactions allows Feeding America to rely on multiple touchpoint, and provide seniors with critical service options, such as health test, financial consultancy, skill learning, etc.
INFRASTRUCTURING TOOLKIT FOR FEEDING AMERICA TO BECOME A BROKER
FUTURE SCENARIOS
We used health care as a metaphor to create 16 scenarios for Feeding America to adapt within their organization.
