Reshma Singh, a TechWomen Alumna, is Feeding Families in Need

Last month, Professional Mentor Reshma Singh created the Emergency Community Food Pantry, organizing community volunteers to deliver food and goods to families in need throughout the Bay Area. Reshma began by creating a simple google form that she initially shared via NextDoor, an app where neighbors can exchange information. Within just a few weeks, the emergency pantry’s volunteer base grew to 90; together, the volunteers served nearly 1,000 vulnerable families in Santa Clara and Alameda counties. Reshma and her team even made an app that allows delivery driver volunteers to optimize routes.

This week, Reshma spoke to an elderly woman with multiple health issues who requires a walker. Due to her mobility restrictions, she requested that the volunteer delivery driver drop off her groceries inside her home. When she became upset after learning it was not possible, Reshma offered to speak to her on the phone; at the end of the conversation, the woman insisted that the delivery driver bring a ladder so that they could take the oranges off her tree and feed anyone else in need. “Many people have reached out to learn how local groups can mobilize and get organized,” says Reshma. “The process is highly replicable, and I hope that more communities can benefit from this small experience of ours!”

Note: This story was originally published on TechWomen