Neighbor Connect
What is Service Insights?
Service Insights on MealConnect, known at NTFB as Neighbor Connect, is an online app meant to simplify the intake process for our Partner Agencies so that together we can better and more efficiently serve our neighbors. Developed by Feeding America, the app is free to use, and any data collected is kept private and secure.
Why Use Service Insights, or Neighbor Connect?
- Support Neighbors: The more data we have, the better the NTFB can support neighbors and provide services to the community.
- Advocacy: Up-to-the-minute reporting allows the NTFB to advocate directly to those who can support the Food Bank and its Partner Agencies with policies, funding and resources.
- Stay Connected: The database enables the NTFB and its partners to share information so that they can provide better referrals, reduce food waste and more efficiently distribute resources to support our neighbors facing hunger.
- Efficiency: Neighbors only need to go through the intake process once at any Partner Agency using the platform, which prevents individuals from having to complete unnecessary paperwork during each visit while also speeding up the food distribution process.
“I love it. It’s a great, easy way for us to have our neighbors information in the system, and it helps us build relationships because they see that we know them.”—Adrian Gayden, education coordinator at the Salvation Army of North Texas’ Carr P. Collins Social Service Center.
What will you do?
Participating Partner Agencies use Neighbor Connect, or Services Insights on MealConnect, to complete their neighbor intake forms and record any food services provided. No more paper needed!
The app will ask you to collect basic information about each neighbor’s household, including name, age, address and the number of people in their home.
Each neighbor completes the process just once. After that initial intake questionnaire, Neighbor Connect creates a household profile that you can pull up on subsequent visits using the neighbor’s ID or the personal QR code they’ll be provided. Along with their information, you’ll be able to see the last time they visited your pantry.
Partner Agencies will provide services regardless of a neighbor’s participation in the survey. A person's information will ever be shared outside of our Feeding Network, and the NTFB will never share a neighbor’s information, including with law enforcement or immigration services.
“It’s very convenient,” says neighbor and pantry recipient Felicia Martinez. Felicia went through the intake questionnaire a year ago and now simply shows her ID to receive produce, canned goods and other items each month for her family, which includes two children. “The food is a big help.”
Not Sure if Your Agency is Eligible?
Click the button below to complete our setup assessment to help NTFB learn more about your agency’s capabilities.
What Our Partners Are Saying
Staff are equipped with iPads that they can use when talking with neighbors. When a neighbor is a returning visitor, staff simply scan their QR code using their iPad or ask for an ID and enter in their name. After that, they can see their intake form, including their household size, and know right away how much food volunteers should bring out to their vehicle. “We can get through 200 cars in about two hours,” Callaway says.
Neighbor FAQS
Have Questions?
For more information about Service Insights/Neighbor Connect, please contact Garven Burton, Service Insights Specialist.
469-504-1492