The Challenge
Kansas City has a food access problem. Two grocery stores closed last year. The city's main food bank lost 3 million pounds from federal cuts. 1 in 7 Kansas Citians are food insecure — a 10-year high.
The city put $500,000 on the table. You have $500K revenue, $150K opex, and 60 days to prove it works. You are that company.
Three Tracks
🏗️ The Architect
Build the Product
- Build a working tool for KC food access
- Dashboard, app, alert system, pantry finder
- Judges: Does it work? Would people use it?
🔮 The Oracle
Build the Business
- Business plan + financial model
- How $500K gets spent, 60-day plan
- Judges: Does math work? Data-driven?
🎨 The Muse
Build the Brand & Get Users
- Go-to-market strategy
- Audience, channels, materials, budget
- Judges: Do you know your audience?
Challenge Data API — 8 Endpoints
Base URL: https://aipromptchamp.com/api — All return JSON. Optional but powerful. CORS enabled.
| Endpoint | Returns | Filters |
|---|
/api/challenge/311-calls | Housing/utility distress by ZIP (13 ZIPs) | ?zip= |
/api/challenge/pantries | 12 pantry locations, hours, language, ID req, cold storage, routes | ?zip= ?language= |
/api/challenge/food-atlas | USDA food desert status by census tract | ?zip= |
/api/challenge/store-closures | 4 grocery store closures (2024–2025) | — |
/api/challenge/transit | 8 bus stops near food resources | ?near=lat,lng |
/api/challenge/demographics | Census: poverty, Hispanic%, no vehicle (12 ZIPs) | ?zip= |
/api/challenge/supply-alerts | Federal supply status — ⚡ updates at curveball | — |
/api/challenge/harvest | After the Harvest KC priority ZIPs (8 areas) | — |
Key Data Highlights
Store Closures (2024–2025)
| Store | ZIP | Closed | Impact |
|---|
| Save-A-Lot, Prospect | 64127 | Aug 2024 | 12,400 people |
| Price Chopper, Blue Pkwy | 64130 | Nov 2024 | 18,700 people |
| Aldi, Independence | 64124 | Feb 2025 | 9,200 people |
| Dollar General Market | 64128 | Jun 2025 | 6,100 people |
Highest-Need ZIPs
| ZIP | Poverty | Hispanic% | No Car | Food Insec. |
|---|
| 66101 | 44.6% | 62.8% | 48% | 24.1% |
| 64127 | 41.3% | 28.6% | 45% | 21.4% |
| 66105 | 39.8% | 71.4% | 51% | 22.6% |
| 64130 | 38.2% | 12.4% | 38% | 18.2% |
| 64128 | 35.7% | 8.9% | 42% | 16.8% |
| 64132 | 33.1% | 10.2% | 39% | 17.1% |
Food Pantry & Resource Locations
| Name | ZIP | Hours | Lang | ID? | Cold | Type |
|---|
| Harvesters Community Food Network | 64129 | Mon-Fri 8a-4p | EN, ES | No | Industrial | Food Bank |
| Bishop Sullivan Center | 64110 | Mon,Wed,Fri 9a-12p | EN, ES | No | No | Pantry |
| Guadalupe Centers | 64108 | Tue,Thu 10a-2p | ES, EN | No | Fridge | Pantry |
| Reconciliation Services | 64109 | Mon-Fri 9a-3p | EN | Yes | No | Pantry |
| Community Assistance Council | 64134 | Mon-Thu 9a-3p | EN | Yes | Walk-in | Pantry |
| Salvation Army KC | 64111 | Mon,Wed 10a-1p | EN, ES | No | No | Pantry |
| Della Lamb Community Services | 64106 | Mon-Fri 8:30a-4:30p | EN, ES+ | No | Fridge | Refugee Svcs |
| Sheffield Place | 64126 | Mon-Fri 7a-7p | EN | No | No | Shelter |
| After the Harvest KC | various* | Schedule varies | EN, ES | No | No** | Mobile Dist. |
| Crosslines Community Outreach | 66105 | Mon-Fri 9a-3p | EN, ES | Yes | Walk-in | Pantry |
| KC Community Gardens | 64132 | Seasonal | EN | No | No | Garden |
| El Centro Academy | 66101 | Mon-Fri (school) | ES, EN | No | No*** | School |
* Routes: 64127, 64130, 66101, 66105 (Tue/Thu and Wed/Fri) ** Mobile — must partner with cold storage sites *** School pantry — non-perishables only unless same-day
Scoring Rubric — All Tracks
| Dimension | What Judges Evaluate | Weight |
|---|
| Problem Understanding | Did you understand the problem? Do you know the users and what they need? | /5 |
| Solution Quality | Is it good? Would it work? Is the thinking sound? | /5 |
| Presentation & Polish | Well-built and clearly presented? Can judges interact with it? | /5 |
| Adaptability | How did you respond to the curveball? Rethink or bolt-on? | /5 |
| AI Mastery | Did you direct AI creatively? Evidence of iteration? | /5 |
Each dimension 1–5. Total /25 per judge × 4 = /100. Scale: 1=didn't address, 2=significant gaps, 3=adequate, 4=strong, 5=exceptional.
Schedule
| 9:00 AM | Registration & Coffee |
| 9:30 AM | Opening Ceremony |
| 10:00 AM | 🔓 Challenge Goes Live |
| 10:00–12:00 | Block 1: Build |
| 12:00–1:00 | Lunch (provided) |
| 1:00 PM | 🚨 Curveball |
| 1:00–2:30 | Block 2: Continue + Adapt |
| 2:30 PM | ⏰ Submissions Due |
| 3:00–3:45 | Tradeshow Judging |
| 3:45–4:30 | Finals + Awards 🏆 |
Submit at: https://aipromptchamp.com/regional/kansascity-2026/challenge
Scan the QR code on screen or type the URL. Deadline: 2:30 PM sharp.