mRelief in Kansas City: Using Technology to Improve Food Access

GreenLight Fund Kansas City was founded in 2019 and has since invested in five innovative programs that are addressing urgent needs within youth mental health, early childhood education, and food security. In response to learning that $8.4M in Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Kansas City go unclaimed each year, GreenLight Fund Kansas City invested in mRelief, a technology-based nonprofit designed to simplify the application process for SNAP and other public assistance programs. The investment demonstrates how an anonymized, tech-driven organization can remain deeply connected to the community, grounded in local context and lead with empathy even without face-to-face interaction. To date, mRelief has helped unlock more than $2M in SNAP benefits in the Kansas City region for 4,797 residents. The mRelief team (including Director of Strategic Partnerships, Porschia Davis, Executive Director, Brittany Jones, and Kansas City Local Partnerships Manager, Natalie Wells) answered a few questions for GreenLight Fund Kansas City about their model and their use of technology.

What sets mRelief apart from other nonprofits? What is SNAP’s impact?

What sets mRelief apart from other nonprofits is our deep commitment to building technology that truly meets people where they are. We focus on reimagining access to basic needs, like food assistance, by designing tools that are simple, dignified, and easy to use, whether someone is on a smartphone or data-limited flip phone. We understand that seeking help can be confusing, time-consuming, and often discouraging, especially for those already facing difficult circumstances. That’s why we center the voices and experiences of the people we serve in every part of our product development. From our SMS-based applications to quick eligibility screeners, everything we build is rooted in empathy, clarity, and respect.

SNAP is recognized by researchers as our country’s most effective tool for combating hunger because it provides low-income Americans with additional money for food. SNAP has a wide-reaching impact that goes far beyond food access. While it plays a critical role in helping individuals and families afford nutritious meals, it also significantly improves health outcomes. Access to adequate food reduces the risk of diet-related illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity—particularly among children, seniors, and those with chronic conditions. For children especially, consistent access to nutrition supports healthy development and academic performance.

Beyond health, SNAP is one of the most effective tools we have for reducing poverty and promoting economic stability. It helps families weather financial crises by easing the burden of grocery costs, allowing limited income to stretch further toward essentials like housing, utilities, and transportation. Feeding America says that for “every meal they provide, SNAP provides nine.” By supporting families with getting SNAP benefits, we can cost-effectively help them access more food over the long term. Children who receive SNAP early in life are more likely to graduate from high school, earn more as adults, and experience better health. In this way, SNAP is not just about food, it’s an investment in stronger families, healthier communities, and a more equitable future.

How does AI play a role in mRelief’s model/impact? How do you imagine AI’s role in the future of mRelief’s work? 

AI plays a growing and meaningful role in mRelief’s mission to make access to basic needs more simple and dignified. At its best, AI helps us better understand the real challenges people face when trying to get support like food assistance and allows us to respond faster and more thoughtfully. Whether it’s helping someone submit high-quality documentation or answering applicants’ policy-related questions, AI allows us to offer more personalized and real-time support. What’s even more critical is that it frees up capacity for our team to focus on deeper work, like listening to community feedback and advocating for systems that serve people more fairly.

Looking to the future, we see AI as a powerful ally in helping more people connect to the help they need, especially as the demand for public services continues to grow. But we’re also clear-eyed about the responsibility that comes with using it. At mRelief, we believe AI should never replace the compassion or care that are essential in this work; it should enhance it. That’s why we’re committed to using AI in a way that is ethical, transparent, and always rooted in the experiences of the communities we serve. For us, AI is a tool that, when applied intentionally, can bring more humanity, not less, into systems that too often feel cold or overwhelming.

Though your model is rooted in technology, how do you ensure you lead with empathy and maintain connection to people?

While mRelief is powered by technology, people are always at the center of everything we do. We never lose sight of the fact that behind every form, every message, and every data point is a real person trying to meet their basic needs, often while juggling work, family, and uncertainty. Whether someone has access to a smartphone or not, we want the experience to feel clear and supportive, not cold or confusing. We ask ourselves constantly: Would this feel helpful if I were in their shoes?

We also stay deeply connected to the communities we serve through strong local partnerships. These relationships are key to understanding the unique challenges people face in different places. We collaborate with more than 200 nonprofit or grassroots organizations, food banks, school districts, universities, and health clinics who are experts in providing direct support to the people in their communities. Our partners are the trusted voices on the ground who help us build with real-world insight. They remind us that tech alone isn’t the solution, it’s just one part of it. The real impact comes from combining smart tools with human connection, trust, and a shared commitment to making sure everyone can get the help they need, with dignity.

What was mRelief’s experience as a finalist in GreenLight Fund Kansas City’ selection process? How did you know that Kansas City would be a good fit for mRelief?

As part of the GreenLight Fund Kansas City selection process, we had the opportunity to speak directly with the local Selection Advisory Council, a group made up of organizational leaders and community members with lived experience who are deeply invested in the well-being of Kansas City. These conversations were a powerful reminder of why we do this work. Hearing directly from people who understand the challenges of navigating public benefits and are actively working to improve the system has helped us see just how aligned our mission is with the priorities of the community.

What stood out most was the depth of care, insight, and commitment in the room. The council brought both professional expertise and personal perspective, which created a space for real dialogue about what families in Kansas City need. Their questions and feedback helped us imagine how mRelief could fit into the local landscape, not as an outside solution, but as a partner in a shared effort. It became clear to us that Kansas City isn’t just a place where our model could work—it’s a place where it should work, because the community is ready to lead change with empathy, urgency, and collaboration.

What has been the benefit of having GreenLight as a partner as you’ve been working in KC?

We’re proud to have replicated the success of our partnership model beyond Kansas City and are now actively expanding in Maryland with the support of a new state partner. One of the key drivers of our success in Kansas City has been the work of Natalie, our Local Partnerships Manager. Her work has helped shape a highly effective model of local engagement, deepening relationships with community organizations, coordinating on-the-ground outreach, and driving measurable impact. We’re now applying those same learnings in Maryland, where we’ve hired our first Local Partnerships Manager to build out similar infrastructure and partnerships. 

We see this as a strong endorsement of GreenLight’s approach: investing in organizations with proven models and supporting them in adapting to new local contexts. With the right local leadership, stakeholder alignment, and state-level collaboration, we believe this model is absolutely replicable and scalable with GreenLight’s partnership.

At GreenLight Fund Kansas City, we are committed to addressing the community’s most pressing needs. Over the years, we have broadened our focus to invest in tech-based nonprofits, introducing innovative and scalable solutions that reimagine access to basic needs, such as food assistance. Since launching its partnership with GreenLight in 2023, mRelief has helped an estimated 4,797 Kansas Citians enroll in SNAP.