A linear programming application helps feed the homeless

Meeting minimal daily requirements for nutrition and providing for human taste preferences, while operating on extremely limited funds, poses a difficult problem for charitable institutions such as the Union Rescue Mission of Knoxville, Tennessee. By using a tool such as linear programming, these institutions can determine the minimal cost of providing dietary and intangible needs. This type of analysis also provides the marginal cost increase associated with a more preferred diet, and allows the institution to determine the relative dollar value of variety and taste in food materials.