Predicting and Optimizing the Fair Allocation of Donations in Hunger Relief Supply Chains

Nowshin Sharmile, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Isaac A. Nuamah, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Lauren Davis, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Funda Samanlioglu, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Description

Non-profit hunger relief organizations rely on donors’ benevolence to combat food insecurity. However, fluctuations in donation quantity and frequency create challenges in ensuring equitable distribution. A hierarchical forecasting methodology is developed to predict monthly food donations across a multi warehouse food aid network. These forecasts are integrated into an optimization framework to guide fair allocation of supplies while accounting for supply chain coordination and flexibility. The approach highlights under- served regions within the network and provides actionable insights to reduce disparities between overserved and underserved counties, ultimately improving food access equity.