COVID-19 exposed operational gaps that could no longer be ignored
The Food Bank for Larimer County, Colorado, initially relied on a volunteer-built system with poor data integrity and no means to log anonymous visits. This led to the creation of placeholder clients, inflating service numbers, and making data unreliable. In early 2019, they adopted Link2Feed to bring accuracy and reliability to their data, ensuring they could better track visits and confidently serve their community.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, The Food Bank for Larimer County faced significant challenges in maintaining their operations. The need for curbside pickup and other safety measures revealed the limitations of their existing data management system, which was not equipped to handle the increased demand and operational complexity. They struggled with unreliable data, making managing inventory and accurately tracking client visits very difficult.
Link2Feed provided the data integrity and insights needed to adapt
The Food Bank for Larimer County used Link2Feed to address these challenges. The platform offered immediate improvements in data accuracy, allowing the food bank to better track client visits and manage inventory. With Link2Feed, the food bank was able to:
- Get accurate data: By accurately tracking client visits and managing inventory, Link2Feed provided the reliable data the food bank needed to make informed decisions.
- Tailor services so clients get what they really need: With detailed insights into who was coming through their doors, the food bank could adjust pantry layouts and service hours to meet their community’s needs better. Because it’s not just about providing food—it’s about providing the right food, at the right time.
- Make decisions on the fly: The team could customize data exports and examine the numbers whenever needed. This flexibility allowed them to spot trends and make real-time changes, ensuring they are always serving the community as effectively as possible.
Compared to the number of total visits, Link2Feed data revealed that less than 1% of visits were completed through the curbside program. Previous information about client preference for in-person shopping was anecdotal and collected by staff onsite. Link2Feed surveys were instrumental in gathering ongoing data and gaining valuable insight into client preferences and experiences.
Giving back more time to serve the community
Since adopting Link2Feed in 2019, The Food Bank for Larimer County has substantially improved their operations. In 2023 alone, across all agencies and programs using Link2Feed, the food bank served over 40,000 unique individuals and recorded more than 196,000 visits using data to refine their service delivery and better meet the needs of their community. The ability to make data-driven decisions has not only increased efficiency but also expanded the food bank’s impact, allowing them to reach more people with greater precision.
And The Food Bank for Larimer County isn’t stopping there. They plan to continue leveraging Link2Feed to enhance their operations further. Future plans include automating data connections through API integration and diving deeper into client visit trends to continually refine their services.
“It really pays off to be very meticulous about making sure your information is accurate and clean and well maintained… don’t be afraid to just dive in and start messing around with the data interpretation because once you have the data and it’s stored securely in Link2Feed, those exports, you can move them around and manipulate them as much as you want.”
Josh Greene, Director of Operations
The Food Bank for Larimer County