norishNow | Devpost

Inspiration

Food Insecurity is a huge issue that affects households within the US. After analyzing how certain demographic groups, particularly women and children, are more susceptible to the negative effects of food scarcity, we have made the decision to prioritize our efforts toward assisting and supporting these vulnerable populations.

Our goal is to make our application accessible to policymakers, key stakeholders, and individuals in leadership positions in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. This will enable them to leverage its predictive capabilities to anticipate and address demand before it is needed, ensuring that necessary resources are dispatched in a timely manner.

What it does

norishNow is an online website that utilizes machine learning, AI and React to bridge the gap in food disparity that women, infants, and children (WIC) face within the US. norishNow enables charity donors to visualize, predict, and encourage them to take action against food disparity within highly affected WIC communities. The interactive map allows donors to hover and select different states and get a graphical representation of the total food costs, and total women, infants, and children affected in each region. The graphical data not only helps donors visualize past food insecurity but also predicts which WIC groups could be most affected in the future, which addresses the issue and boost the sense of urgency for donors to take action against the issue. Additionally, norishNow includes a recipe search feature, which allows WIC community members to input the recipes that need/lack. Donors will be able to get a better understanding of what foods are necessary and make a bigger impact on the lives of WIC and hungry communities.

How we built it

To build the front end of the website, we use React, HTML, and CSS. These technologies were to be used to create an interactive map, display the graph and predictions for each state, and implement the recipe finder. We also used the LSTM AI model and python for the backend of the website by processing the data/statistics we found about WIC food scarcity, splitting the data for training and testing, and predicting future food disparities. We then used the matplotlib library to plot the data and then called that to the front.

Challenges we ran into

While building norishNow we faced a few challenges when implementing the LSTM AI model for predictions. We had a large dataset available to us and it was difficult to process all of the data files into a single graph. It was also challenging to connect the LSTM AI model to the user interface in a seamless and user-friendly way. Additionally, we had to ensure that the model was accurately trained to make reliable predictions, which required extensive testing and validation. Even though we faced some tough obstacles, our team worked hard and pushed through to create a platform that can really make a difference in tackling food scarcity. We're proud of what we've accomplished and excited to see the positive impact it can have!

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Even though it was a huge challenge that we faced, we were able to implement the LSTM and get the backend graphical data to be displayed in the front end. It took us hard work, time, and a lot of dedication to learn, debug, and troubleshoot our code and ensure that our website is the best it can be.

What we learned

While building norishNow, we learned a lot about the impact of food insecurity on vulnerable populations and the challenges associated with addressing this critical issue. We also gained valuable experience in using machine learning and AI technologies, as well as front-end development tools such as React, HTML, and CSS.

What's next for norishNow

Moving forward, we plan to continue improving and expanding norishNow by incorporating new features and functionalities that can help address food insecurity more effectively. We also aim to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and organizations to ensure that our platform is making a meaningful impact in the communities that need it most. Our objective is to extend the reach of our platform beyond the US and make it available globally, to help alleviate the suffering caused by food insecurity and contribute towards a more just and equitable world.