In November of 2024, Tech2Empower Bay Area: Food and Housing Justice brought together local nonprofit organizations and volunteer Advisors from companies including Accenture, Google, LinkedIn, Lyft, Planet, and Salesforce to drive impact through collaborative project work. The Bay Area has a long history of innovation and problem-solving, and yet it faces a growing crisis: food insecurity and homelessness are escalating at alarming rates. WAKE strategically launched Tech2Empower Bay Area to support a collection of frontline organizations contributing invaluable services and support to communities in need. The teams worked together in-person in San Francisco, as well as virtually, and produced tangible results that will drive the essential work of the nonprofits.
.png)
Tech2Empower Bay Area invited each nonprofit team to identify a project that would address a critical need or unlock new opportunities for growth within their organization. From improving data systems to enhancing communications strategies, the following sample projects reflect the creativity, dedication, and collaborative spirit of Tech2Empower. The outcomes not only meet immediate needs but also equip organizations with tools and strategies to sustain and expand their impact well into the future.
Food First is a 50-year-old organization dedicated to tackling the root causes of hunger and poverty by transforming food systems through research, analysis, and support for on-the-ground organizations. Food First plays a critical role in addressing systemic challenges to ensure access to healthy, safe, and culturally appropriate food for all. Food First partnered with Tech2Empower Advisors to refresh their branding and develop a comprehensive, forward-looking marketing strategy. Together, they achieved many outcomes, including a new visual identity with updated fonts and colors, a tailored marketing strategy and playbook to engage key audiences, and a marketing milestone map to ensure effective and sustainable execution of their communication goals. Tech2Empower provided Food First with a revitalized and integrative approach to communications, balancing their achievements over the past 50 years with a vision for the future.
The San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund increases access to affordable, high-quality housing and community facilities for economically disadvantaged communities through loans, investments, and real estate purchases. During Tech2Empower, Advisors supported the team to optimize their use of Salesforce to track impact data. Historically reliant on spreadsheets, the organization partnered with Advisors to create a suite of dashboards preloaded with essential data. Together, they developed a dashboard to monitor housing projects and loan statuses, along with sub-dashboards detailing resident demographics, such as income bands, race and ethnicity information, and more. These tools will streamline staff workflow, allowing quick access to critical data for use in grant reports, applications, newsletters, and day-to-day operations. = Its enhanced efficiency positions the organization to better serve its mission.
Vouchers 4 Veggies enhances community health by providing low-income residents with vouchers for fresh produce and nutritional education through its "veggie prescription" program. During Tech2Empower, Advisors partnered with the organization to develop a comprehensive, up-to-date Impact Report showcasing the program’s growth and successes since 2021. Together, they created a draft report featuring updated impact statistics, a vendor network map, and improved, accessible language to better communicate their achievements. The new report is designed to be continually updated, ensuring Vouchers 4 Veggies can keep their data current and relevant as their impact expands, strengthening their ability to share progress with stakeholders and the community.
%2520(1).png)
“Participating in Tech2Empower has been truly impactful for us. Like many non-profit teams, we are juggling multiple urgent priorities with limited staff bandwidth but believe deeply in the promise of our mission. The resources, expertise, and skills from this community have given us newfound confidence about how to create increased impact at our organization.”
- Rebecca Crawbuck, Foodwise
“My experience working as an advisor through WAKE was incredibly rewarding. The program's organization made it easy to connect with and support a local non-profit, and I gained valuable insights into the diverse landscape of organizations serving the Bay Area. I was truly inspired by the passion and dedication of the women leading these initiatives, and I left the program feeling motivated to contribute even further.”
- Ela Stanislawska, Google, Advisor for Code Tenderloin
“This was an amazing opportunity for me to use my skills and experience to help our local community and meet a strong group of leaders passionate about giving back!”
- Deepthi Medepalli, Accenture, Advisor for SF Housing Accelerator Fund
%2520(2).png)
Tech2Empower Bay Area: Food and Housing Justice has demonstrated the transformative power of collaboration, skill-sharing, and collective action. Over the course of the program, nonprofit leaders and Advisors came together to address critical challenges facing our communities, and developed actionable solutions that will drive long-term impact. From refreshed communications strategies to enhanced data systems, the outcomes are a testament to what is possible when expertise, innovation, and passion align.
We extend our gratitude to our generous program sponsors, LIFT Agency, LinkedIn for Social Impact, and Lyft, for making this work possible. Thank you to the inspiring nonprofits, dedicated Advisors, and all who contributed to the success of this program. Together, we’ve taken important steps toward creating a more just and equitable future for all.
