Empowering New Beginnings: How Kechie Inventory Management Transformed New Life Centers’ Impact

November 26, 2024 | Case Study

Challenge

New Life Centers began with humble beginnings, driven by a mission to support low-income families, homeless communities, and youth affected by violence. They are known for being the first on the scene to provide assistance for gang-related violence in their community. However, as crisis struck their community, they faced overwhelming challenges. The organization struggled to manage an unprecedented influx of donations, track where these essential items were allocated, and provide accurate and detailed reporting to their partners.

“We faced all sorts of challenges with no system in place; everything was done with pen and paper and back-and-forth email correspondence” shared Andre Gordillo, Director of the New Vecinos Program. Connie Marquez, the Warehouse Director, added, “We were doing everything by hand. So that was one of the biggest problems. We literally were building the plane while flying.”

Some of these challenges included:

  • Managing, organizing, and distributing a surge of donations
  • Distinguishing between purchased and donated items
  • Keeping track of Inventory
  • Manually creating welcome kits for each family
  • Accurate reporting on funding allocation and organizational performance—areas crucial for securing state and city-granted funds and maintaining donor trust

All of these manual processes—doing everything by hand—threatened the organization’s ability to serve its community at the level they wanted. They knew they had to do something.

Solution

New Life Centers sought an inventory management solution, and found it in Kechie. This user-friendly, cloud-based software offered the comprehensive tools necessary to tackle the new challenges New Life Centers was facing. “When I first heard of Kechie and we did the demo, I thought for sure right away like, this is it. It felt like it had all the bells and whistles of what our organization needed,” Connie Marquez stated.

Kechie Features used:

  • Inventory Management
  • Multi Warehouse Management
  • Logistics
  • Distribution Management
  • Lot Tracking
  • Kitting
  • Procurement
  • Reports
  • Portal for Connection to Other Nonprofit organizations

Results

The impact of Kechie on New Life Centers has been transformative. With the ability to run detailed reports, the organization has greatly improved accountability and efficiency in managing their resources. Some of these benefits are listed below:

  • Real-time inventory management
  • Full traceability in all transactions
  • Automated procurement process
  • Enhanced accountability and transparency in the donation process
  • Donation recipients were required to sign for the items on delivery, ensuring accurate record-keeping and trust in the distribution process
  • Separated donated items from purchased items by providing lot tracking
  • Organized their inventory into various categories—perishable goods, clothing, furniture, and more
  • Tracked donations coming and going with ease
  • Provided real-time updates to donors and partners
  • Automated the creation of welcome kits for families

One of the most significant outcomes of implementing Kechie was the creation of a unique portal that connected New Life Centers with the various community-based organizations (CBO’s) that they work with. “It’s a game-changer for us. Now, our partner organizations can view available inventory in real-time, making it easier to meet the needs of families and individuals quickly. Before, we struggled to coordinate with other nonprofits; now, we’re all on the same page. This collaboration has strengthened our community efforts immensely.” As a result, New Life Centers has expanded its reach more efficiently, collaborating with organizations like the Chicago Food Depository, World Relief, churches, homeless shelters across Chicago, and other nonprofit organizations.

The software also included the functionality to create non-nettable items, which allowed New Life Centers to categorize items that were not yet ready for donation. This feature ensured that items could be tracked and managed until they were able to be distributed.

Lastly, with Kechie’s help, New Life Centers was able to create and distribute “welcome kits” containing all the necessary supplies one would need for a ‘new life.’ Bedding, kitchen essentials, and home goods are some of the items that can be found in these welcome kits, and each kit was customized to fit the needs of each family. Furthermore, New Life Centers provides various types of kits, including the hygiene kit which contains essential toiletries.

The implementation and support provided by the Kechie team over 8-10 weeks was exceptional. Connie Marquez shared, “They were great. They were so patient because, again,

this crisis was something that Chicago was not ready for. Having the patience to train our entire team was challenging, but the step-by-step process was great for us to understand. They taught us little tips and tricks, and they were always available and willing to meet whatever need we had. This relationship was valuable.”

Future Goals with Kechie

Kechie has the potential to transform not just their current operations but also to shape future initiatives across various areas of New Life Centers’ organization. “I started thinking about things beyond the current crisis, like how we could use Kechie to organize our sports teams, or using Kechie for the retail side of our organization where we sell the jewelry that our members create,” stated Connie Marquez. Using Kechie, they plan to launch an e-commerce site for their Girls Empowering Meaningful Stories (GEMS) jewelry line, which empowers and inspires young girls by transforming broken glass from street shootings into beautiful pieces of art. This initiative not only enhances creativity but also provides entrepreneurial skills to the young participants, and they plan to use Kechie to support this endeavor in the future.

“We went from Zero to One Hundred with Kechie”

The implementation of Kechie has elevated the way New Life Centers operates, alleviating the hardships of doing everything by hand. The software has automated time-consuming processes, improved accuracy, and provided valuable insights into operations. “We went from zero to one hundred by being able to run reports for meetings with our donors and state partners,” shared Andre Gordillo.

“Through our partnership with Kechie, we have barely scratched the surface of all the tools we can leverage. Our mission to support families and youth is stronger than ever,” he concluded. Kechie is committed to supporting our partners through this journey toward a brighter future.

With the support of Kechie, New Life Centers is not just managing their operations; they are thriving, demonstrating that effective systems can lead to meaningful change in the community.

Case Highlights


Top Challenges

  • Managing, organizing, and distributing a surge of donations
  • Distinguishing between purchased and donated items

Key Solutions

  • Implemented Kechie ERP

Results

  • Real-time inventory management
  • Full traceability in all transactions
  • Automated procurement process