Tools:
Pen & Paper | Figma | Adobe
Industry:
Volunteer | Social | Community
Duration:
3 months
Overview
Reelay: Rescue Food On Your Way
A community app that matches food donors with student volunteers already commuting nearby. By aligning food pickups with students' existing routes, Reelay transforms daily commutes into food rescue missions—fighting waste and supporting food banks with minimal detours.
Problem & Research.
Problem Statement
Food banks and organizations across Canada are struggling to meet rising demand for food assistance due to a shortage of donors and volunteers.
Who it affects
Food Banks and organizations | Donors | Volunteers
Why it matters
Food banks and community organizations across Canada are struggling to meet growing demand due to a shortage of consistent donors and volunteers. Without better systems for coordination and engagement, food insecurity continues to rise, and valuable food often goes to waste.
Goal: Design a simple, efficient app that connects donors and volunteers, improves scheduling and communication, and ultimately helps reduce food waste while supporting communities in need.
Research
A multi-method approach was used to understand the needs of both food donors and volunteers, and identify pain points in existing systems.
Methods: Literature review, stakeholder interviews, surveys, field studies, competitor analysis
Key insights:
Food banks face inconsistent donations and volunteer shortages
Volunteers want flexible shifts and rewards
Students are motivated by community impact, but face logistical barriers
Donors need simple scheduling and better pickup coordination
Existing apps lack real-time updates and engagement tools
Nearly 1 in 5 Canadians using food banks are employed, indicating that food insecurity affects even those with jobs.
Ideation & Product.
User Flow
After defining the key personas and understanding their goals, the user flow was created to map out how both donors and volunteers would interact with Reelay. The goal is based on designing a smooth, intuitive experience that supports their main tasks—like scheduling food donations or signing up for volunteer shift, while keeping things simple and rewarding.
MVP-Core Features
Wireframes
Conclusion
Reelay was designed to bridge the gap between food donors and volunteers through a simple, community-driven platform. By grounding the process in real research—from stakeholder interviews to field studies—I was able to design with empathy and purpose. The app not only streamlines donation logistics and volunteer coordination but also encourages participation through education, incentives, and partnerships. This project reinforced the value of user-centered design and showed me how thoughtful digital solutions can create real-world impact.
