My husband and I came to the US from Ukraine almost two and a half years ago because of the war. I was seven months pregnant. We were broke. For the first year and a half, while I was home with a newborn and my husband was struggling to find a job, we depended on food pantries.

At first, we were amazed that they even exist. It’s an incredible support for people in need. But then came the frustration: no reliable info, no updated schedules, no clear eligibility rules.

I remember the exact day when I broke.

That day, hungry and out of food and diapers, I tried four different pantries:

• 1️⃣ Closed
• 2️⃣ Hours changed
• 3️⃣ Didn’t serve my ZIP code
• 4️⃣ Open, serving my ZIP code, full of fresh food — I even saw strawberries. We hadn’t eaten strawberries in months.

But then they told me:

“You’re not in our new system. Only re-registered clients get food. We don't get new clients anymore”

I walked back to the car hungry and embarrassed. I buckled my baby in, sat down, and cried. I felt desperate, hopeless, and unworthy — like I didn’t even deserve strawberries.

After visiting 300+ pantries in 4 states, I saw the same pattern:

• ❌ Outdated websites
• ❌ Phones that never pick up
• ❌ Wrong hours
• ❌ Moved locations
• ❌ No transparency
• ❌ Rudeness or shame

Every closed door made me feel smaller. Every wrong schedule erased a bit of dignity. And the advice I kept hearing? "Just check this website and call around."

I refused to accept that this is the best we can do.

If the system can’t update itself… then the people who actually depend on it should be able to. This is how NeedNoMore was born.

My husband and I are building a mobile app with all US food pantries on a map. And after every visit, clients themselves can update: Is the pantry really open? Is it still on the same address? What are the real hours? Who do they serve? How long is the line now? What food was available today?

For the first time, people in need get a voice, clarity, and a bit of control over their lives.