FoodCloud has achieved its success and reputation, in part, through sheer tonnage. They put in the work, palette after palette, in Dublin, Cork, Galway, as well as on the FoodCloud itself. Charity is ancient, but FoodCloud keeps on trying to develop the process. Their planet-first message, oh and by the way less starvation, is but one example of their future-forward mission. Furthermore, they act at multiple levels as a philanthropic outlet for others in the community. Thousands of tech workers from international campuses can relieve their overworked keyboarding fingers and overburdened gentrifying consciousnesses with a (paid for by their employer) four-hour stint in the warehouse. The drama of putting on a blue vest adds to the volunteer’s self-perception that they are helping the community. Moving towards our visit after the 27 Jobstown, the host at FoodCloud was also an affable presence. I was touched and amused that Bryan mentioned not only the United States (where quite possibly more food-related statistics were available than for Ireland), but also Pittsburgh. It was sobering to hear that while one in 11 Irish are food insecure, so are one in 7 Pennsylvanians. Bryan’s background at a charity, one level after the FoodCloud, proved useful in answering my two questions about food and technology closer to the point of consumption. The fellow operating the forklift, who asked about woodlucks as he headed into the freezer, added some high visibility character to the proceedings. I, for one, am glad that it is easier for the hungry to get food today. No more constructing a famine road to nowhere. 

Whether it be collecting expired granola bars via iPhone, brewing soup from blighted potatoes, or preparing a site visit report, however, we don’t starve together. In working with my team, I learned that sometimes, content that you worked really hard on just has to go. A slideshow can only be so long without boring the audience and even the presenters into oblivion. It is perhaps a credit to our team that we had so much good stuff that it could not all fit. They also taught me to take a sip and relax in the great pubs of Dublin. Even though you cannot donate it, Guinness is good for you!