Aalaap H. 2023 | BASIS Independent Silicon Valley
- Project Title: Scrapsaver: Diverting Foodwaste to Provide Meals
- BASIS Independent Advisor: Swetha Bhattacharya
- Internship Location: Martha's Soup Kitchen
- Onsite Mentor: Rohan Puri
As attention to environmental issues is increasing, food insecurity has become one of society’s fastest-growing concerns. According to the USDA, about 6 million children or 17.5 million households in the US suffered from food insecurity, and this alarming number is projected to grow. America has one of the world’s best economies, more than capable enough to provide and export enough produce. The real problem comes from how the produce is managed. By connecting restaurants and grocery stores that discard surplus produce to soup kitchens, we can combat food insecurity while protecting the environment. For my Senior Project, I’m creating a web application ScrapSaver to facilitate this relay of food. First, I will begin my research by conducting surveys with San Jose’s Martha’s Soup Kitchen and local restaurants. This project will consist of two parts: (1) design and creation of the web application in Python Django, and (2) bridging the suppliers with charities through ScrapSaver. By pursuing many restaurants that are willing to donate surplus produce, ScrapSaver can build connections to help us live more economically and environmentally.