New app connects Portland-area families in need with local food banks

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A new app is connecting food-insecure families with consistent nutrition at OHSU’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Dr Louise Elaine Vaz is a pediatric infectious disease doctor at Doernbecher Hospital, where she treats some of the most vulnerable kids in our community.

She says that while treating families, she noticed that nearly two-thirds of families skipped meals.

Betty Brown is the director of the Open Bible Community Pantry, and both Dr. Vaz and she sit on the board of the Oregon Food Bank.

"When I heard that, I’m like, what are their children going home from the hospital with no food? How can this even be a thing? How does that even happen?" asked Brown.

With a growing problem and a common mission, the two got to work.

According to Dr. Vaz, two-thirds of families at Doernbecher were either reducing their food intake or skipping meals altogether.

"As a parent and a caregiver, you may not want to leave your child to go get food, or it might be too expensive to purchase food," said Vaz.

Enter the 'Full' app, which launched in September.

"So the way it works, the family is shown to be food insecure," said Brown. "So we have an app that people can go online, choose the food that they want, because as you know, Oregon is a very diverse state, and we want to make sure that people have the food that is culturally appropriate for them."

The app connects families with food banks and pantries in their area, with the mission to eliminate food insecurity, allowing families to care for their children -- and not have to worry about where their next meal might come from.

"I think one of our missions is really to de-stigmatize this issue and to know that it could happen to me, to you, to anybody," said Vaz. "And everyone has experienced hunger, and we know what that’s like. And once you see hunger, it’s hard not to see it."

Since their launch, dozens of families have been connected with consistent and nutritious food through the new program.

Dr Vaz says they hope to expand beyond the tri-county area in the future.