Among most food pantries, the average wait time is between 30 – 45 minutes. Often, individuals stand in long lines and answer a litany of questions before they can receive food. De’Angelo Boone started the Meal Assistance program in March 2020, aiming to revolutionize the ways that food pantries interact with the community and cut the delay in going to the pantry to receive food to between 5-10 minutes.
De’Angelo determined that the pantry’s reach would need to be expanded beyond the physical location of the Meal Assistance Program. If patrons could access meal assistance from where they lived or worked orders could be packed and ready before the person arrived. An app would be the most efficient way to connect a food bank to the community, allowing them to order at their convenience.
When De’Angelo proposed the idea of an app to the program’s volunteers and patrons, they had a number of questions about the feasibility of such software. In addition to wanting a basic overview of how it would work, they made inquiries about the usability for the senior population, how the information about the app would be distributed, and what happens in the event of the app crashing. However, De’Angelo was convinced that something could be done to create a process that could free up time for families who used the pantry.
In the initial phases of developing the concept, De’Angelo wondered if there was anything currently on the market with capabilities to connect pantries and patrons. Upon discovering the void in this area, he endeavored to create something. To begin, he studied the apps he used regularly, and those he did nothing with, noting the design, capabilities, and other facets.
When designing the user interface, there were several aspects to consider. De’Angelo needed to create a visually appealing design that would make it easy for a user to find relevant information. Also, the application had to collect necessary information for government grants, but in such a way that an applicant would not have to fill out a large number of questions.
In the early stages, De’Angelo assumed developers would be excited about the process of partnering with him in the app. He quickly found that was not the case. Therefore, he spent countless hours learning and writing code. According to De’Angelo:
“Without a background in development or anything technical, I was trying to understand computer language and talk to other developers. I wanted to complete it by a certain timeline because the pandemic has started, but make sure the app I presented worked efficiently. You only get one shot to make a good impression. If this app doesn’t make a good impression, folks may not trust it.”
When the app was presented for testing in the pantry, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Because it allowed home access to food pantries at the height of the pandemic, the fact that individuals could access food pantries from home proved advantageous. Also, it provided a more modern way for the community and the food bank to interact. For instance, ProMedica Farms dropped off some fresh produce, individuals were notified solely using the app, and within 15 minutes, families were arriving, because they received a notification regarding the fruits and vegetables. Within an hour most of it was gone. Because of the increased connectivity, other pantries were excited about the idea as well. De’Angelo reflected on their reactions: “When pantries found out about our service, they were really blown away by it. I got questions like ‘Can we buy, can we subscribe to your service and have that app as a part of our pantry operations?’”
Creating a business and charging the various kitchens in the county looked like the next step in app development. De’Angelo envisioned the app supporting various pantries in the Lenawee community. However, after competing in the Square One Competition in (October) of 2022, he realized that the app had the potential to serve kitchens in more regions, states, and even countries than just in Lenawee.
Through the competition, the concept was stretched and improved in many ways, but one of De’Angelo’s main takeaways was that his idea could develop far beyond a single community. Due to the nature of the software, they didn’t just have to be Lenawee residents. They could live anywhere. Since competing in Square One, De’Angelo expanded his mission to be a global leader for change in how pantries connected with their communities. According to De’Angelo:
“My vision for the app was that it would be a leading design for pantries throughout the world to connect food service within this industry to the communities that it will serve. “If you would have asked me, ‘What’s your overall vision for the app?’ Before Square One, I would have told you just to serve Lenawee County and make sure that it’s easy for the people in our community to have access to food.”
After weeks of preparation and hard work, De’Angelo took the stage, where he was given five minutes to wow a panel of judges and spectators from across Lenawee County. The moments before the competition were nerve-wracking. He rehearsed in his mind, keeping in mind not to speak too quickly or fumble over his words. When took the stage, De’Angelo shared a passion for helping pantry-goers in Lenawee and on a larger scale, and a vision to make that happen. When competing, the part he enjoyed most was answering the judges’ questions, which allowed him the opportunity to discuss what people were truly curious about, not just what he thought they should know.
Since winning Square One, De’Angelo has been working with Lenawee Now’s Director of Entrepreneurial Services, Gary Clemetson, preparing for the app launch. Currently, De’Angelo is in the process of connecting with government agencies on developing bylaws and obtaining resources to develop more application features.
When the app has been sufficiently developed, De’Angelo will work with marketers to brand and promote the app. He is looking forward to a state-wide launch. Currently, The Pantries Association and the South Michigan Food Bank have expressed an interest in the product, giving the app a clientele of 400 pantries after the launch.
Throughout the journey from an idea to connect Lenawee to pantries to being a leader in the food bank industry, De’Angelo Boone has learned a number of lessons, mainly that it’s important to get out of one’s comfort zone and not worry about the reaction. De’Angelo’s advice to an aspiring entrepreneur: “Don’t be afraid to compete. I think that it is important to really put yourself out there, whether you think people will accept it or not. and for you to have enough confidence in your own product to know that it is worthy of the stage.”