DBS Bank has partnered The Food Bank Singapore to better address food gaps for the vulnerable by connecting corporate donors to food support organisations via a virtual food banking app.
With the virtual food banking app, greater coordination and targeting of food support will be made possible.
The first of its kind in Singapore, the app enables food support organisations to submit requests to donors in real-time and on-the-go.
Donors can share the type and quantity of food they have on hand via the app, providing food support organisations with real-time visibility of the items available. This also helps facilitate more relevant food matching and support, ensuring beneficiaries receive the right quantum and types of food they need, thereby minimising food waste.
The 2019 UN report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World found that 4.1 per cent of the population in Singapore faced moderate to severe food insecurity.
Most of the food insecure – such as the elderly and low-income families facing prolonged unemployment or health issues – receive support from the more than 100 food-support organisations locally. However, some households fall through the cracks and lack sufficient food support. This is an issue that DBS' virtual food banking app aims to solve.
The app also aims to collect data for analysis to enable agencies to better understand needs on the ground.
"It is crucial for The Food Bank Singapore to digitalise to increase our efficiency," said The Food Bank Singapore co-founder Nichol Ng. "Since we only have a lean team of seven full-time staff, the virtual food bank will gradually reduce our reliance on the need for data entry. The app will be a great starting point to test a circular ecosystem where donors, beneficiary organisations and logistics providers can be looped onto one platform to better facilitate food aid."
Commenting on the initiative, DBS Singapore Country Head Shee Tse Koon said, “With the virtual food banking app, we will have greater visibility of the support gaps in Singapore, and we hope more donors will be encouraged to come forth and make the commitment with us to help put food on the table for those in need.”
The app is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2020.