🧠 ##Inspiration The idea came from a conversation with a college event coordinator who often saw leftover free food after campus events. Many students didn’t know the food was available, leading to unnecessary waste. We realized this was a solvable problem—and decided to build a tool that could connect students to leftover food in real-time, reducing waste and promoting campus wellness.
💡## What it does Free Food Finder is a web app that notifies students about free food available at campus events. It features a real-time list of food events and aims to include a sign-up option where students can receive notifications via email when food becomes available. It’s a simple yet impactful way to reduce food waste and support students who may benefit from free meals.
🛠️ ##How we built it We developed the frontend using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and the backend with Python (Flask) and SQLite for lightweight, local data storage. To collaborate as a team, we used Git and GitHub for version control. Initially, we tried React and Firebase, but pivoted to a simpler stack that better suited our team’s experience and the project timeline.
🚧 ##Challenges we ran into One major challenge was adapting our tech stack mid-way. We started with React and Firebase but faced integration and learning curve issues. Recognizing the time constraints, we made the decision to shift to Flask and vanilla JS, which allowed us to deliver a functional MVP. This taught us the value of flexibility and choosing tools that match the scope and skillset.
🏆 ##Accomplishments that we're proud of Collaborating effectively to build something meaningful in a short amount of time
Designing a project with real potential to make a positive impact on campus
Learning new tools and applying them immediately in a practical, team-based setting
📚 ##What we learned We gained hands-on experience with new technologies, practiced agile problem-solving, and learned how to adapt quickly when initial approaches don’t go as planned. We also deepened our understanding of building apps with a user-first and impact-driven mindset.
🚀 ##What’s next for Free Food Finder Our next steps include:
Adding email or SMS notifications so students get real-time alerts
Building a submission portal for event organizers to post food availability
Partnering with campus organizations to expand adoption and pilot the app during future events
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