Homelessness and food insecurity are pressing issues across the United States, with cities grappling to provide adequate resources and support for those in need. Recent statistics reveal that New York City, for instance, faces a homelessness crisis unseen since the Great Depression, with over 350,000 individuals lacking stable housing. The current systems that tackle these issues often falter, suffering from inefficient resource distribution and outdated methods. AskBobby, an AI-driven solution created by Andrew Siah, specifically aims to change how social services are used. Unveiling the Crisis: The Struggle of Homelessness and Food Insecurity Addressing homelessness and food insecurity involves navigating a complex situation of resource allocation and real-time data management. Traditional approaches often struggle with inefficiencies, resulting in aid that doesn’t always reach those who need it most. For example, many social service organizations operate on limited budgets and outdated systems, leading to gaps in service delivery and difficulties in tracking aid effectiveness. In New York City alone, the number of homeless individuals has soared to approximately 350,000, a staggering 4.37% of the population. These figures highlight the need for more effective systems to manage and distribute resources. The existing solutions often need more agility and precision to respond to the dynamic needs of this vulnerable population. Andrew Siah’s Journey from Quantitative Developer to Social Impact Leader Andrew Wei Tung, a recent Columbia University graduate, has started to address homelessness and food insecurity, driven by a passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems using the latest technologies. Inspired by an AI Social Work Hackathon at Columbia Business School, Andrew began his mission to create AskBobby, an AI tool designed to enhance access to essential social services. Andrew has won several prestigious hackathons and co-founded New York AI Labs, a club for enthusiasts to research and build in public with AI. Winning these hackathons inspired him to work toward building projects that are beneficial to the public. How AskBobby Uses AI to Improve Social Work AskBobby is an AI-powered SMS tool designed to help connect individuals in need with available social services. The tool provides real-time assistance in locating essential resources such as food pantries, shelters, and healthcare facilities. Using a multilingual personalized language model, AskBobby ensures that users receive accurate and timely information tailored to their needs. One of AskBobby’s standout features is its ability to optimize resource allocation for non-profits. The tool helps these organizations manage their resources more efficiently, run surveys to gather feedback and improve their services based on real-time data. This optimization is crucial for non-profits, which often operate under tight constraints while trying to maximize their impact. Future Goals for AskBobby and the Growing AI Field Since its launch, AskBobby has significantly improved access to social services. It has been successfully developed with FoodbankNYC, a non-profit that has served 1.2 billion meals to date.  AskBobby has served hundreds of visitors and is expanding through its network. The tool’s effectiveness in streamlining access to essential resources demonstrates its potential to transform how social services are delivered. Andrew’s vision for AskBobby includes enhancing the tool’s capabilities and expanding its reach. Future developments aim to address homelessness and food insecurity by refining the AI’s ability to understand and respond to individual needs. Additionally, Andrew plans to collaborate with more non-profits to broaden the tool’s impact and explore new avenues for support. How AskBobby Is Setting a New Standard in Social Services AskBobby represents a significant advancement in technology and social services. Leveraging AI to provide real-time assistance and optimize resource allocation addresses critical social services challenges. Andrew Siah’s modern approach highlights the potential of AI to solve complex social issues while setting a precedent for future efforts in this field. AskBobby continues to grow and evolve as AI continues to do the same, and it promises to play a pivotal role in improving access to essential services and supporting the fight against homelessness and hunger. For tech professionals and social work experts, AskBobby is an example of how technology can drive meaningful change. Its success underscores the importance of integrating advanced tools and data-driven solutions into efforts to tackle social challenges. As the tool continues to develop, monitoring its progress and exploring opportunities for further innovation and collaboration will be crucial. Explore Opportunities to Collaborate With AskBobby and Drive Social Impact Many people are interested in becoming tech professionals or social workers. AskBobby is a great example of how to change the world using technology. AI gives real-time assistance in allocating the proper resources for each situation. Social workers have long been in need of more tools to help, and AskBobby is helping get this done. Those interested in learning more about AskBobby and its impact or exploring potential collaborations can visit the website or contact Andrew at andrew.siah@columbia.edu Homelessness and food insecurity are pressing issues across the United States, with cities grappling to provide adequate resources and support for those in need. Recent statistics reveal that New York City, for instance, faces a homelessness crisis unseen since the Great Depression, with over 350,000 individuals lacking stable housing. The current systems that tackle these issues often falter, suffering from inefficient resource distribution and outdated methods. AskBobby, an AI-driven solution created by Andrew Siah, specifically aims to change how social services are used. Unveiling the Crisis: The Struggle of Homelessness and Food Insecurity Addressing homelessness and food insecurity involves navigating a complex situation of resource allocation and real-time data management. Traditional approaches often struggle with inefficiencies, resulting in aid that doesn’t always reach those who need it most. For example, many social service organizations operate on limited budgets and outdated systems, leading to gaps in service delivery and difficulties in tracking aid effectiveness. In New York City alone, the number of homeless individuals has soared to approximately 350,000, a staggering 4.37% of the population. These figures highlight the need for more effective systems to manage and distribute resources. The existing solutions often need more agility and precision to respond to the dynamic needs of this vulnerable population. Andrew Siah’s Journey from Quantitative Developer to Social Impact Leader Andrew Wei Tung, a recent Columbia University graduate, has started to address homelessness and food insecurity, driven by a passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems using the latest technologies. Inspired by an AI Social Work Hackathon at Columbia Business School, Andrew began his mission to create AskBobby, an AI tool designed to enhance access to essential social services. Andrew has won several prestigious hackathons and co-founded New York AI Labs, a club for enthusiasts to research and build in public with AI. Winning these hackathons inspired him to work toward building projects that are beneficial to the public. How AskBobby Uses AI to Improve Social Work AskBobby is an AI-powered SMS tool designed to help connect individuals in need with available social services. The tool provides real-time assistance in locating essential resources such as food pantries, shelters, and healthcare facilities. Using a multilingual personalized language model, AskBobby ensures that users receive accurate and timely information tailored to their needs. One of AskBobby’s standout features is its ability to optimize resource allocation for non-profits. The tool helps these organizations manage their resources more efficiently, run surveys to gather feedback and improve their services based on real-time data. This optimization is crucial for non-profits, which often operate under tight constraints while trying to maximize their impact. Future Goals for AskBobby and the Growing AI Field Since its launch, AskBobby has significantly improved access to social services. It has been successfully developed with FoodbankNYC, a non-profit that has served 1.2 billion meals to date.  AskBobby has served hundreds of visitors and is expanding through its network. The tool’s effectiveness in streamlining access to essential resources demonstrates its potential to transform how social services are delivered. Andrew’s vision for AskBobby includes enhancing the tool’s capabilities and expanding its reach. Future developments aim to address homelessness and food insecurity by refining the AI’s ability to understand and respond to individual needs. Additionally, Andrew plans to collaborate with more non-profits to broaden the tool’s impact and explore new avenues for support. How AskBobby Is Setting a New Standard in Social Services AskBobby represents a significant advancement in technology and social services. Leveraging AI to provide real-time assistance and optimize resource allocation addresses critical social services challenges. Andrew Siah’s modern approach highlights the potential of AI to solve complex social issues while setting a precedent for future efforts in this field. AskBobby continues to grow and evolve as AI continues to do the same, and it promises to play a pivotal role in improving access to essential services and supporting the fight against homelessness and hunger. For tech professionals and social work experts, AskBobby is an example of how technology can drive meaningful change. Its success underscores the importance of integrating advanced tools and data-driven solutions into efforts to tackle social challenges. As the tool continues to develop, monitoring its progress and exploring opportunities for further innovation and collaboration will be crucial. Explore Opportunities to Collaborate With AskBobby and Drive Social Impact Many people are interested in becoming tech professionals or social workers. AskBobby is a great example of how to change the world using technology. AI gives real-time assistance in allocating the proper resources for each situation. Social workers have long been in need of more tools to help, and AskBobby is helping get this done. Those interested in learning more about AskBobby and its impact or exploring potential collaborations can visit the website or contact Andrew at andrew.siah@columbia.edu website website

The is an opinion piece based on the author’s POV and does not necessarily reflect the views of HackerNoon.

AskBobby: The AI Tool Helping People in Need Locate Social Services

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