Nonprofits rarely have the luxury of slowing down. For organizations that work on the front lines of hunger relief — where families rely on consistent access to food, where every hour and every delivery matters — the margin for error is even smaller. Technology, in this context, isn’t just an operational tool. It's the infrastructure that ensures that a community’s most basic needs are met.
But this underlying dynamic means that many organizations lack the time and space to take a methodical approach to their digital transformation journey, not to mention the funding it would take to get there.
Hunger Network, a hunger-relief organization that operates more than 70 Hunger Relief Sites across Greater Cleveland, Ohio, understands this reality well. With a mission rooted in ensuring that no food goes to waste and no one goes hungry, it manages both large-scale distribution and a sophisticated food-rescue operation that moves donations from 50+ vendors to over 100 nonprofit partners. Its impact is enormous, yet, like many nonprofits, its technology environment had not kept pace with its mission’s complexity.
When Hunger Network joined TechSoup’s Digital Resilience Program (DRP), it was not looking for bells and whistles. It was looking for stability, security, clarity, and tools that fit its budget and staff capacity. What unfolded was a transformation far greater than expected.
Hunger Network operates with a full-time staff of 14, serving thousands of residents across Cuyahoga County. But behind the scenes, technology challenges were mounting:
Like so many nonprofits, the responsibility for “figuring out IT” fell to an operations leader who had some technical experience — but not enough time, resources, or support to keep the organization fully protected.
Then came the Digital Resilience Program.
When the DRP first opened, the timing couldn’t have been better. Hunger Network had just completed a new strategic plan — and nearly every technology-related goal in that plan aligned with what the DRP offered.
Hunger Network had long wanted
The DRP provided not just financial support, but also guidance, education, and someone to translate the technical jargon into actionable steps. “All of my strategic goals were to implement this type of stuff,” Hunger Network’s Amy Pratt told TechSoup. “The timing was perfect — now all my strategic plan goals for the next three years are done.”
Before the program, Hunger Network staff members knew they were vulnerable — but they didn’t know how vulnerable.
Through training and assessment, they discovered
These realizations shifted how Pratt and Hunger Network’s leadership saw technology.
“I knew we weren’t well protected, but I didn’t realize how unprotected we really were,” Pratt said.
But the DRP also reframed security as something manageable, digestible, and empowering, even for teams without technical staff.
Through assessments, consultations, and collaborative planning, Hunger Network received a customized set of projects addressing both immediate risks and long-term capacity building
Core improvements delivered through DRP:
These upgrades modernized its infrastructure, strengthened its security posture, and reduced administrative burden across departments.
What made the difference, Pratt said, was how personalized the process was.
“You presented us with options based on real conversations. You really honed in on our highest priorities. Decision-making wasn’t difficult at all.”
Hunger Network is clear: While these changes didn’t immediately increase the number of people served, they dramatically improved staff efficiency, security, and peace of mind .
These were some of the key outcomes:
The cultural impact was just as significant. Staff across generations — some comfortable with tech, others less so — felt more supported and more willing to try new tools. Leadership learned how to communicate technical changes in ways everyone could understand.
“Most valuable was definitely the cybersecurity education,” Pratt said. “It really changed how I see all of this.”
Hunger Network is now better prepared for the next phase of its growth, including opening a new kitchen and continuing to scale its logistics work. It is entering this expansion with these advantages:
And importantly, it is no longer alone in navigating complex digital decisions.
Hunger Network’s journey reflects what we see across the Digital Resilience Program: Even nonprofits that lack IT staff, operating with tight budgets and high demands, can make enormous strides when given the right mix of structure, support, funding, and human-centered guidance.
Technology is no longer a barrier for Hunger Network — it is an enabler.
It is helping them protect their systems, safeguard community data, support their employees, and strengthen the backbone of a mission that matters deeply to the families of Greater Cleveland.
As the digital threats facing nonprofits continue to rise, stories like this show why investing in digital resilience is not optional — it is essential.
And with the right support, any organization can get there.
To learn more, visit our website.
Read the other posts in this series: