GiftWorks Story Winner: Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas July 30, 2009

Our "Tell Us Your Story" contest surpassed our best expectations.  The entries were both voluminous and beautiful.  To hear first-hand how GiftWorks has helped nonprofit organizations become better and stronger is over-the-top gratifying.  We set out to change the world of fundraising software by offering the nonprofit sector an intuitive, well-designed fundraising software solution that is also easy-to-use and very fairly priced.  We're not resting on our laurels, but are glad to know that we're doing something right.

Selecting the winners of the contest was not easy - they were all outstanding.  In the end, we voted and the top four won prizes.  I will feature each of the winners here this week. Today, please meet one them, the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas.  The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas "works to eliminate hunger by distributing food to people in need through a network of non-profit agencies and programs."  Each and every week the Food Bank feeds approximately 4,200 people.  Vicki Pillow, Director of Development, sent us her story:

GiftWorks has given the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas one of the most important benefits a non-profit organization can have…more time.  It is my pleasure to list the ways that GiftWorks has helped the mission of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas.

•        The time spent trying to remember the exact way the donor was entered into the system, so that it could be found again, is now spent distributing more than 1.7 million pounds of food and grocery products through our agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, non-profit daycare centers, senior citizen centers, and special care facilities.

•        The time spent pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to make our software work is now spent recruiting sponsors and volunteers for our Senior Pack Program, a food box program for elderly people living on fixed incomes.

•        The time spent running reports is now spent delivering the child friendly, nonperishable, easily-consumed, nutritious food for children at risk of hunger as part of our Backpack Program.

•        The time spent waiting for the software to complete a step (not unlike watching molasses run) is now spent on our commodity distribution system.  The Food Bank works with the USDA to distribute commodity foods to 11 counties in Northeast Arkansas.  In 2008, the Food Bank conducted 4 to 5 distributions at each of our 18 different sites, serving thousands of families each quarter. 

•        The time spent on the old mail merge system is now spent networking with community businesses and civic organizations to build partnerships with the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas.

•        The time spent memorizing codes, to be able to run the system, is now used to do research on available grants to build the capacity of our 84 non-profit agencies and programs.  GiftWorks is such an intuitive system, that I usually figure out what I need to do in a matter of minutes.   

•        The time spent rebooting the old system again and again is now spent working to eliminate hunger by distributing food to people in need through a network of non-profit agencies and programs.  This is the mission of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas and GiftWorks has allowed us to achieve our mission in a more efficient manner. 

On behalf of the mission of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas , we want to thank Mission Research for GiftWorks.  For us…it’s about time.   

Please visit the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas at http://www.foodbankofnea.org/.

Comments

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