| Societal Challenge | Partner Organization | AI Technology | Expected Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited communication and lack of access to food | Paws’ Pantry, IU Indianapolis (serves broader nearby community) | Adaptable and scalable agentic harness for multipurpose use | Faster and more convenient live support for 150+ weekly pantry users |
THE CHALLENGE
Per Paws’ Pantry, 1 in 5 IU Indianapolis freshmen are below the poverty line and food insecure. Limited communication, language barriers, dietary or religious needs, and not knowing what is in stock keep students from using Paws' Pantry's resources.
OUR AI SOLUTION
An agentic harness will operate on the backend to support a dynamic user environment on the front end. The system will manage user order selections, display order status, and update the backend administrative dashboard for food pantry operators. These reports can help operators determine what items need to be delivered, when deliveries should occur, and whether any food allergy or religious dietary considerations need to be addressed.
PROGRESS SINCE PHASE 1
| Phase 1 | Phase 2 Progress |
|---|---|
| Minecraft digital twin of Gleaners with AI intake for IPS students | Pivoted to a cloud AI agentic system for college students and beyond; prototyping |
| Partners; limited by IRB rules for minors | New partner Paws’ Pantry; metric: system integration |
WHY IT MATTERS
PEOPLE
Paws’ Pantry users get quick, private food related answers and support; later, Gleaners and other food pantries may adapt the product. Expansion into other areas, like schools for education, is also possible.
IMPACT
Users see more convenience with high quality 24/7 support, time saved, high answer/support accuracy, general satisfaction increase
WORKING WITH PARTNERS
Paws’ Pantry, IU Indianapolis
Andi Weidner, Assistant Program Director of Basic Needs Paws’ Pantry provides the test site, its item list, and college users for beta tests. Gleaners, our Phase 2 partner, supplies the pantry, which is a direct path to scale.
PATH TO SCALE
Research → Prototype → Pilot → Deployment → Regional / National Scale
Pilot at Paws’ Pantry, then Gleaners and other pantries. Low cost, EPICS teams, and open-source code sustain it after funding.
PHASE 2 GOALS
- Link agentic harness to Paws’ Pantry inventory system
- Beta test with current Paws’ Pantry users
- Multi-week full rollout; track impact metrics • Expand to more pantries with new partners
THE TEAM
- Ray Lin
- Kevin Lee
- Sejuti Banik