For my systems project, I’ve been researching
standard operating procedures for food banks. Most food banks, even of large
metropolitan areas like Washington DC, barely have a functioning website.
That’s why I was surprised to discover the Food Bank for New York City has
incorporated technology in a significant way into its supply chain. It’s not
cloud computing or complex enterprise management systems like we read about
this week, but the Food Bank of New York City appears to be the first to use
advanced management system that uses scannable bar codes to ensure first-in
first-out inventory management and the appropriate distribution of food to its
network—the pantries and soup kitchens that reach the community.[1] They currently use their
advanced management system to enable special ordering and order tracking for
their network of pantries, soup kitchens, and other community aides.
The food bank’s sources are diverse. They receive
donated food from food industry (restaurants and grocery stores). Fresh produce
comes from the produce industry, local farmers, NY State assistance and Feeding
America (national organization for hunger relief that supports various food
banks). The government funds emergency relief programs, allowing the Food bank
to purchase missing items. The Food bank also engages in wholesale food
purchasing with donated funds. Some of these sources are more reliable than
others. What if the food bank, along with its internal inventory management
system, had a more reliable picture of what would reach their warehouses? The
Jennings article talks about
the “potential scenario where businesses could ask each of its suppliers to
file reports into the cloud about the components that they ship, including
their current status. The company would then analyze the aggregated data and tackle
any specific issues or problems that were unearthed.” [2]
Imagine a food bank with this amount of data. Would this change their
practices? They don’t report publically about waste, but how would a better
picture of donations coming in change their wholesale purchasing decisions.
It's hard to organize such a large storage like the food bank. Where in you have to be accurate in every details because you are dealing with food that can expire and get wasted. A Chess Logistics WMS Software is needed to effectively organize the inventory of stocks and to enhance the services.
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