Elk Grove Pilot City For Surplus Food App

It's an app called CropMobster and it publishes instant alerts via email, Facebook and Twitter connecting people who have surplus food, like gardeners, farmers and caterers, with hunger relief groups.

The Sonoma County based venture has been operating for a year now in the Bay Area.

This week, CropMobster announced that it has chosen the City of Elk Grove for a pilot community exchange program.

"This is one of those tools that I would consider innovative common sense," said Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis. "Common sense would dictate that food going to waste should get into the hands and mouths of people that need it."

And innovative, Davis says, because CropMobster uses the internet and social media.

Elk Grove Food Bank Director Marie Jachino says she hopes the app will increase donations.

"I often get told when somebody comes by 'we didn't know there was a food bank in Elk Grove, we're going to start donating here.' So just bringing that awareness."

In the past year, CropMobster has sold or donated 100,000 pounds of produce in the ten county Bay Area.