mRelief
Unlocking Food Security at Scale
When we launched the Reconstruct Challenge, our goal was simple but ambitious: find innovators tackling systemic challenges in bold, creative ways — and then give them the catalytic capital to prove and scale their solutions.
That’s how we met mRelief.
From the Ground Up: Rose’s Story
For millions of families in the U.S., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline. But outdated systems, long applications, and confusing eligibility rules keep too many households from accessing the support they deserve.
Rose Afriyie, co-founder of mRelief, grew up in the Bronx in a family that relied on public assistance. She knows firsthand how complexity and stigma can become invisible walls between people and the food they need.
Her career — spanning work at the White House, in public interest technology, and now as an entrepreneur — has been shaped by one conviction: “Food is a human right.” With mRelief, she and her team set out to restore dignity to the benefits process, turning hours of paperwork into a tool that takes just minute
Investing in Innovation
In Phase 1 of the Reconstruct Challenge, mRelief received $300,000 to pilot their approach, refine their technology, and demonstrate how their platform could scale across states and community organizations.
Families who once faced 17-page paper forms or 90-minute phone calls could now determine eligibility in just two minutes and complete an application in about 13 minutes.
Because of their success, mRelief advanced to Phase 2, receiving an additional $350,000 to expand their work. That funding helped deepen partnerships with states and nonprofits, improve the user experience, and position the organization for national scale.
Together, these two phases represented $650,000 in catalytic capital — early, risk-tolerant funding that allowed mRelief to prove what was possible and attract new partners and investors.
Impact That Multiplies
The results have been extraordinary.
As of their 2024 Annual Report, mRelief has helped 718,037 people learn whether they’re eligible for SNAP.
Their tools have supported nearly 3.6 million SNAP-eligible individuals since 2018.
To date, they have unlocked over $1.7 billion in SNAP benefits nationwide.
And beyond raw numbers, their research proves impact: people who use mRelief’s streamlined application are significantly more likely to apply — and be approved — compared to traditional processes.
Why This Matters
mRelief’s journey embodies why the Reconstruct Challenge exists. Traditional philanthropy often hesitates to fund unproven ideas. By stepping in with risk-tolerant capital, Access Ventures helped de-risk an innovation that now benefits millions of people across the country.
Their story is proof that with the right support, bold ideas can become systemic solutions — and that access to something as basic as food can be transformed by dignity, design, and technology.
Looking Ahead
mRelief continues to push forward, exploring AI to improve document verification, building new state partnerships, and scaling tools that ensure families not only know they are eligible but also receive the benefits they deserve.
As Rose Afriyie puts it:
“If you’re hungry and you’re eligible, you should be getting SNAP benefits.”
At Access Ventures, we are proud to stand alongside mRelief — first as a Reconstruct Challenge recipient, and now as a partner whose impact continues to multiply far beyond our initial investment.
