On Friday, October 16th, Meals on Wheels of San Francisco (MOWSF) and the San Francisco Food Security Task Force (FSTF) partnered with Gigwalk to launch a community volunteer event to serve the homebound elderly community of San Francisco living in Single-Room Occupancy Hotels (SROs). Using the Gigwalk App, over 130 volunteers from leading tech companies like Twitter, Adroll, Splunk, Pinterest, Lyft, Zendesk and Success Factors (a SAP company) came together to deliver Disaster Preparedness Kits to the SROs across the city. During the deliveries, via the Gigwalk app, volunteers were also collecting critical data for FSTF on living conditions, which will be used as part of the FSTF’s initiative to improve access to healthy and nutritious food for SRO residents in San Francisco.

The Gigwalk app was downloaded by each volunteer, who were then directed via the app to one of the 500 locations to deliver the Disaster Preparedness Kits. With twenty-four percent of seniors served by MOWSF having no other source of food, delivering these kits was critical should a disaster delay meal deliveries. 

At each location, volunteers also collected critical data for the FSTF via the Gigwalk app. Obtaining this data was critical for MOWSF and the FSTF in order to help improve access to healthy and nutritious foods to SRO residents and in driving community interventions. The data collected will help guide long-term policy recommendations to the Board of Supervisors of SF. 

Gigwalk is honored to participate in the volunteer event and proud to have been able to offer our technology to MOWSF, local tech companies and the FSTF to ensure delivery of disaster kits and the collection of critical data about SRO conditions. Community outreach is an integral part of Gigwalk for Good’s mission and we’re appreciative to have been able to contribute and participate in the Friday event!