United Way of New York City, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering some of the city’s most vulnerable residents to thrive, distributes millions of pounds of food, increases access to education, provides mental health services and offers healthcare to underserved communities every year.
But the organization needed to upskill its in-house technology infrastructure in order to continue effectively serving those communities. To do so, United Way of New York City began to upgrade its infrastructure with world-class systems designed to be secure, resilient and built for the future.
“Ultimately, for us, it’s about creating an IT ecosystem that supports our mission and allows us to serve New Yorkers more efficiently,” said Tanisha McKnight, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of United Way of New York City.
That vision resonated with others who shared the nonprofit’s commitment to bettering local communities and were eager to help.
“When United Way of New York City decided to modernize its technology systems, we enthusiastically volunteered to help,” said Kyndryl Group President Elly Keinan, a United Way of New York City board member. “We look forward to working closely with the United Way of New York City team to enhance their IT systems and enable them to focus their energy on what they do best — empowering underserved communities in New York City through mission-critical local programming.”
The two organizations quickly began to overhaul the nonprofit’s IT infrastructure, governance, compliance and systems — building on the existing relationship between United Way Worldwide and Kyndryl, which had previously partnered to boost STEM education in underserved communities across Latin America and continues to expand the collaboration to additional countries.
David White, director of enterprise architecture at Kyndryl, said, “Our work began with a technical review, looking at their servers and software to assess what was good and what needed improvement. United Way of New York City required additional resources to maintain the level of quality needed so that they could continue to support their operations.”
One of the significant challenges faced by United Way of New York City was integrating legacy systems with new technology. The cost of these improvements and the difficulty of maintaining an IT infrastructure were compounded by cybersecurity precautions and outdated tools.
Tanisha McKnight | Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, United Way of New York City
Elly Keinan | Kyndryl Group President
David White | Director of Enterprise Architecture, Kyndryl
White’s assessment targeted these issues, allowing United Way of New York City to develop a strategic plan and hire a managed services provider. The partnership with Kyndryl provided an opportunity to see these challenges from a broader perspective and implement cost-effective solutions.
We look forward to working closely with the United Way of New York City team to enhance their IT systems and enable them to focus their energy on what they do best — empowering underserved communities in New York City through mission-critical local programming.
Transforming lives one IT improvement at a time
“Kyndryl helped us assess our IT infrastructure, make us more secure and strengthen these areas — their consultation and guidance did become a game-changer for us,” said McKnight.
The partnership has already yielded positive results. Access to higher levels of IT expertise has been critical in making decisions that have both immediate and long-term impacts. Regular conversations around infrastructure and systems have elevated the IT department, leading to the outsourcing of the system and ensuring continued cybersecurity protections. The collaboration has allowed United Way of New York City to move forward with a plan that supports its mission and serves New Yorkers more efficiently.
“Access to IT expertise has been crucial for us. Our daily work involves talking, sharing information and making decisions,” said McKnight. “The partnership with Kyndryl has allowed us to defer, collaborate and ask questions. We couldn’t have done it without David’s expertise. His willingness to devote time every week, his open-door policy and dedication, even while managing other projects and traveling, went above and beyond.”
Looking ahead, United Way of New York City aims to remain vigilant with data security, modernize systems and create a seamless way to share and manage information internally and externally. Kyndryl and United Way of New York City’s new managed services provider will be strategic thought partners in helping United Way of New York City innovate and continue evolving in the fast-changing IT landscape.
“This is personally fulfilling, meaningful work,” said White. “It’s a wonderful partnership, and what’s not to like about helping people in New York City? United Way of New York City supports food banks, health clinics and various community initiatives. United Way of New York City’s mission to empower underserved communities and provide reading opportunities for kids is something I wholeheartedly support — I enjoy working with a mission I can get behind.”
