Feeding America Launches New Website

CHICAGO, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization, unveiled a newly redesigned website, www.FeedingAmerica.org, to mobilize the public toward helping the over 50 million people nationwide who are at risk of hunger. The site, which receives over 2.25 million unique annual visitors a year, features the introduction of location-aware content which personalizes each user's experience.  

"With the redesigned FeedingAmerica.org, we have reached a significant milestone in how the organization has evolved in using design, content and technology to better meet the needs of our members, the general public, and those seeking food," said Tony Bagdy, Director of Digital Strategy. "Hunger exists in all our communities for a variety of reasons – and digital media increasingly affords us the opportunity to communicate the issue and mobilize the public to do something about it."  

The site features a variety of enhancements including a full re-design, new content, and improved usability.  Other new features to the website include:

• Location-Aware Content:  Local food bank and food insecurity information will be presented on the home page through use of location-aware technology to enhance the user experience for some of the most in-demand content on the site.  The content underscores the local nature of hunger in context of our national issue and how Feeding America addresses this at both levels. Sitecore Online Marketing Suite software powers the location-aware content and in the future Feeding America plans to use the software for real time personalization, testing, and visitor experience analytics.

• Real Time Updates:  Home page content will now feature real time updates keeping site visitors current on how Feeding America's broad community of partners, including celebrity Entertainment Council members, corporate and others, are working to fight hunger in the U.S.  This will be a resource for hunger issue advocates across the country.  Updates will also include communication from Feeding America CEO, Vicki B. Escarra.

• Cutting-Edge Research Delivered via Interactive Map: Facilitates fast and easy navigation of new groundbreaking research called "Map the Meal Gap." This interactive map provides information never before available including food insecurity rates for every county (3137 counties) in America.  Until now the only reliable data on food insecurity was at the state level.  For the first time, government leaders, state agencies, and food banks have accurate data on food insecurity at the county and Congressional District level.  

• Real Stories:  Firsthand accounts of people dealing with food insecurity in America including powerful visuals and videos of Americans dealing with hunger will help provide an emotional connection to the issue of hunger and in turn better engage people to help.  

Manifest Digital worked with Feeding America to update the site and enhance its features.

"To a person, Feeding America is an amazing organization. In helping produce the online experience and integrating the under-pinning technologies, we were personally driven to achieve the same level of excellence Feeding America delivers every day. We're proud to have had a hand in such an important breakthrough in delivering profound, action-oriented information to the public," said Jim Jacoby, Founder Manifest Digital.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

Media Contact:
Ross Fraser
Feeding America
312.641.6422

SOURCE Feeding America