Teaming for Technology

United Way of Broome County provides computer assistance to not only its member agencies, but also to any other not-for-profit agency in Broome County. Realizing that not-for-profits are typically limited in both technology skills and financial resources, the United Way established a program called Teaming for Technology (T4T) which has created many databases for agencies to keep track of memberships, donations, class schedules, volunteer information, educational information, blood drive statistics, and information and referral database, to mention just a few. In addition, T4T helps agencies install software, troubleshoot both software and hardware, customize applications, and numerous other tasks. Everything is done using Microsoft Office. Without the help of Microsoft and TechSoup supplying both T4T and the not-for-profits agencies with affordable software, these agencies would not be able to effectively manage their resources and provide the services that the community so desperately needs. By providing this technology service, T4T is able to customize databases for an agency’s unique request in a timely manner.

T4T along with Microsoft products provide a solution to the basic need of agencies: a tracking system. T4T builds on the experience and knowledge that it gains from each agency it works for, which allows it to respond to an agency’s need faster and smarter.

All of the databases are done in Microsoft Access, The following databases are a small sample of some of the T4T’s work.

The American Civic Association is an agency that assists immigrants and refugees with immigration and personal counseling, resettlement, citizenship, family reunification, interpreters and translators. T4T created a database for tracking immigration clients and all the various services that were provided to them.

Crime Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) is an agency that provides crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy, emergency accompaniment and prevention education to people whom have experienced or are at risk of violent crime. T4T created a database for tracking client intake information and follow-up services provided by the agency. The system provides the information needed for reports that are submitted to the state and other funders. Just last year alone the database provided tracking of over 500 crisis line calls and tracked over 12,000 unique services that were provided to clients. The database has been in use and enhanced over the past 8 years.

Unfortunately, last month, the Binghamton, N.Y. area was devastated by the shootings at the American Civic Association. The Crime Victims Assistance Center was the lead agency in coordinating and providing counseling to family members, friends, and anyone in need of support. T4T was able to take CVAC’s existing database and enable it to be used as a stand-alone database. This allowed counseling to be done at any location. T4T then provided an easy solution to merge the offsite counseling data into the main database at CVAC.

For the American Red Cross, T4T created a database that tracks all blood drives and also maintains information on all volunteers including each time a volunteer is contacted. This helps with the scheduling of volunteers for the different drives and the various positions required at each one. Using email, the system is able to send each volunteer a list of the positions that need to be staffed for upcoming blood drives. It also keeps track of volunteer hours and tracks to make sure that all proper certifications have been completed. Last year alone the database was used to track over 650 scheduled blood drives. It also kept track of over 1,800 volunteer jobs that needed to be staffed to handle these blood drives.

Head Start is a national program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families. T4T created a database that keeps track of children that are enrolled in their preschool program. This enables the agency to track all information pertinent to each child, including attendance, medical information, family information, class rosters, emergency contacts and meals provided. It also tracks information requested by family members and other data needed by Head Start. The database currently keeps track of 45 possible different classroom locations and around 300 children per school year. A second database was created for the Family and Community Partnership (FCP) counselors. Data was taken from the original database and individually transferred to each counselors Palm. As the counselor meets with their clients the Palm database gets updated. Later the Palm is then synced with the Microsoft Access database and necessary reports generated for the FCP counselors. Other management reports were created to help analyze data and future program needs. When the database was installed it saved Head Start 1,630 hours of work and was estimated to save over $28,000 in time and materials per year.

For the Binghamton/Broome County YWCA, T4T created a database to track breast cancer screenings of uninsured or underinsured women. As a result of having this database, the YWCA has been able to expand its outreach efforts for this service. This database has allowed the YWCA to track each client on a daily basis. Each day the database provides the names of women who need to be sent reminders of upcoming services. If no one answers the telephone call, it flags them to be called the next day. If an answering machine answers, the system will flag the person to be called back in three days. Other cancer screening programs have adopted this database and it is now available through the Avon Breast Care Fund.

For the local First Call for Help program, an information and referral service, which last month received 2-1-1 designation, T4T created a database that tracks all incoming calls and combines them with a directory of human services agencies. This enables First Call for Help to quickly assist individuals in identifying what the caller needs and provide the caller with information about the services that are available. It tracks both filled and unfilled needs. This database keeps track of over 1400 agencies and the 4000 programs they provide. Last year alone the database handled over 23,000 contacts with the community.

Having a central place for agencies to obtain database enhancements has proved to be beneficial for not-for-profits in our area.T4T will continue to provide assistance with Access, Excel, and Word. T4T uses Microsoft products because of the software’s functions and Microsoft’s support for the non-profit community. Without the support of Microsoft and TechSoup, not-for-profits in our area would not be able to procure such encompassing software and thus would limit their ability to provide the kind of service that is needed for the area’s residents.