Food banks around the world have always struggled to quantify the impact of their work and participate in annual studies. Enter: Link2Feed’s food bank software.
Each year, Canadian food banks complete an annual study called HungerCount, which analyzes food bank use nationally. The report represents results from food banks and hunger-relief programs in every province and territory in Canada.
On Friday, the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) and their network of 250 food banks and 1,100 hunger-relief programs ran the first ever province-wide annual HungerCount Report using Link2Feed’s food bank software, marking the first time a national report was automated using real-time data collection software
There were no huge spreadsheets, printouts or stacks of paper to tally the results of the month-long snapshot, just a few simple clicks in Link2Feed.
Ushering in a new era
This event represents a new era for the OAFB, who will now have the ability to run real-time reports on its network year-round to better support their members and advocate on behalf of food bank users.
“Today marks a historic day for our network – as we just ran the country’s first, province-wide HungerCount report!!” The OAFB announced to their network Friday, “The OAFB regularly speaks to organizations around the world that are watching our network, and hoping to learn from your experiences – and now expertise – in data collection and the role it plays in understanding trends, hunger and poverty. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed – and we hope you feel proud of everything you have collectively accomplished!”
Real-time intake with food bank software
OAFB members use Link2Feed’s food bank software to track their client intake in real-time when clients access their services, which automates the demographic questions listed in the HungerCount study. The rollout began in 2013 and was completed earlier this year. It was a big day for Link2Feed and we couldn’t be more proud of the hard work of all of the OAFB members.
“It was so exciting to see all of the training, onboarding, and hard work of the OAFB members come to fruition today as they ran the HungerCount for Canada’s largest province with a few clicks of the mouse,” said Link2Feed Account Manager Stephanie McLean, who was present for the historic occasion.
“The one word that came to mind as the report finished running was ‘unstoppable.’ I am so thrilled for them and for everything they will be able to do with this ability- they will truly be unstoppable.”
Feed Nova Scotia, will also be completing their Hunger Count using Link2Feed’s food bank case management software this year. With Link2Feed’s help, this organization is also in the process of transitioning from central data recording to real-time collection by their network.