Examples of the new features to make finding food resources easier through Google.
Photo credit by Google
One in eight people will face food insecurity in America during their life.
With the pandemic and economic crisis only highlighting this hunger issue, Google’s Food for Good is donating $50,000 in unrestricted sponsorship dollars and $50,000 in Google Ads Grants to Metro Detroit’s Forgotten Harvest, according to a local source.
In Michigan, Google Trends are as follows:
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“mobile food pantry” went up 90% in search interest, 2021
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“soup kitchens near me” went up 130% in the first week of November 2021
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“volunteer opportunities near me” +100% in the past 12 months
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To help combat food insecurity, Google is also using its technology to make it easier for Americans to find food and give back this holiday season with the launch of three new features:
- Food Bank Locator on Google Search and Maps. Google is verifying 24,000 food bank and pantry listings in Google Maps and Search. With the update, food banks and pantries will be able to add to their Google Business Profiles to highlight hours of operation, services, types of donations accepted and appointment availability where applicable.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Information Panels. Users can search for the SNAP program and receive locally relevant, direct resources to help determine eligibility and info on how to apply.
- EBT Payment Option. Users can search for “stores that accept EBT near me” and find a list of grocery, convenience stores and farmers markets nearby that accept EBT as a payment method.
Since the pandemic started, Googlers have contributed millions of their own dollars to food security causes and Google has matched donations, bringing the total contribution to $22.7M. Google is also contributing $1M in financial support ($50K to each) to 20 innovative food pantries, food banks, and food assistance organizations including Forgotten Harvest.
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