Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 158

DATA DO-GOODERS: A NEW FORCE IN
THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER
Derek Schwabe, Bread for the World Institute
In Washington, DC, a local non-profit, DC Action for Children, had years’ worth of city-wide
data on poverty, food access, SNAP participation, education, and health. What they needed
was a way to make all that data accessible to community and city leaders who can change
policy.
Enter DataKind—an energetic new organization that convenes pro-bono data scientists,
developers, and designers to help non-profits unlock the power of their data. Through a
weekend event called a DataDive, DataKind pooled the skills of local volunteers to create an
interactive map that put all of DC Action’s data in one place. The map disaggregated the data
to the neighborhood level for the first time, enabling anyone to pinpoint statistics on poverty,
education, and health in their community and see how they overlap. The DataDive signaled a
transition for DC Action—away from lengthy static PDF documents and toward a cleaner way
of communicating that makes information attractive and fits more in less space.
DC Action was overwhelmed by the community’s response to
“Civic-minded techies
their new mapping tool. It drew unprecedented attention to the
are coming together
organization’s work, driving up webpage views by 620 percent
in cities around the
in one day. The innovative work has garnered recognition and
country and the world,
innovation awards from respected organizations like the Annie
giving concerned
E. Casey Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Global
people with advanced
Editors Network. Most important, it has helped influence real
computer skills a
changes in the allocation of city funding, targeting money to
chance to address
where the need is greatest. Since the map’s debut, the city has
community problems
increased funding for early intervention services, child care
like never before.”
subsidies, and school-based mental health centers. Local policy
makers are now asking how the tool can be regularly updated to track the impact of policy
decisions and publically funded programs and bring stronger accountability. DC Action has
even gotten calls from city agencies looking to verify their own data.
Another data-minded group called Code for America matches talented web developers,
designers, and entrepreneurs with forward-thinking city governments to help them harness technology to improve public services and government transparency. Through a fellowship program,
these civic-hackers spend one year working in a sector of city government on a specific challenge.
One team of fellows in New Orleans was asked to take on a growing problem of neighborhood
blight. There were over 35,000 vacant properties scattered across the city that threatened
neighborhood safety and economic vitality. Tracking down information on these properties was
time-consuming, involving numerous calls to city agencies and trips to city offices.

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Bread for the World Institute