I like modeling.

I like computers.

But what I want to do is be able to use it

to help people and so it's really interesting

or kind of exciting that we can use these tools

in helping in this humanitarian cause.

- [Narrator] Although the food bank

of central and eastern North Carolina is

the largest in the state, they still can't

reach everyone.

- I don't think people realize the magnitude

of food insecurity.

We believe there are about 680,000 people

that are food insecure at some point

during the month.

We can't get enough food in to solve the problem.

- [Narrator] Enter Dr. Ivy and Dr. Davis.

They're engineers who realized analytics

could revolutionize how food banks operate.

They reached out to see how they could help.

- The food bank gave us tons of data,

and you know initially we were like data, data, data.

But data can be like a blessing and a curse.

- [Narrator] They mined through millions of records

and translated the numbers into useful information.

- Some of the models that we have developed

try to predict the amount of food

that might be donated.

The other type of models also try to estimate

how many people might be in need of food.

We try to pull in data about unemployment,

poverty, to see if we can get a better estimate

of the true need in the counties that they serve.

- [Narrator] That information gives the food bank

an efficient way to predict changes

in supply and demand so they can reduce

food waste while maximizing the number

of people they can reach.

- What they have done is given us

why we should do certain things

and how we should do them, but instead

of saying, "Well that just feels right,"

we're able to say, "Well the data tells us."

It's very cool stuff.

- We're making an impact.

And we have the potential to do so much more.

The work we do is easily applicable

to other food banks.

And I think that we'll be able to figure out

how to, you know, reduce the number of families

who have hunger need.