Technological Innovations in Food Pantries and Gaps in Implementation Resources

Join local social workers and researchers Maria Wathen and Rachel Young as they present an overview of the types of technological innovations initiated by food pantries during the pandemic. From data management systems, radio frequencies, geocoding, YouTube spots, to online ordering, you will hear about the creative ways that food pantries implemented change to serve their neighbors. This session will present innovative uses of tech, as well as the challenges in implementation based on 39 interviews of directors/coordinators of food pantries in Illinois.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the types of technology used by food pantries
2. Explore the factors that influenced disparity in how and whether tech innovations were implemented
3. Recognize how volunteers contributed to innovative tech usage

Registration Options:

If you do NOT need CEUs for LCSW/LSW or LCPC/LPC, register via the link below:

NON-CEU REGISTRATION

If you DO need CEUs for LCSW/LSW or LCPC/LPC, register via the link below:

CEU REGISTRATION

Maria Wathen is currently an Associate Professor at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Social Work. She has a range of experience in education, clinical social work practice, nonprofits, and business in both the United States and internationally. She lived in Russia from 1997-2007 and 2013-2014 and has taught seminars in multiple countries of Eastern Europe and Eurasia. After receiving her MSW and Joint PhD in Social Work & Sociology degrees from the University of Michigan, the purpose of her research has been to generate and disseminate knowledge that advances social justice in the access and provision of social services to vulnerable groups. She does this by illuminating the intersection of social policy, public, nonprofit, and volunteer provision of social services, and the influence of other overarching structural and cultural, and in this case, viral forces.

Rachel A. Young is currently pursuing her PhD at Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work. She earned her MSW from the University of Minnesota. Rachel has 12 years of experience across various sectors, including youth development, workforce development, housing and homelessness for young adults, college and career access, and technical education (EdTech) across governmental, non-profit, and for-profit settings. Rachel is a Research Assistant at Loyola’s School of Social Work and a Graduate Research Fellow at the Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL). In these roles, her research has focused on housing and homelessness, women’s initiatives, food access, and predictors of political participation among social workers.