How RedBit Revamped Second Harvest’s Website for Maximum Impact

Background

Second Harvest is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing fresh food bound for landfills and redirecting it to people in need. To better support their mission, they decided to transition their website to Webflow empowering their marketing team to independently manage updates and create new content without relying on developers.However, the migration process proved complex. To overcome these challenges, Second Harvest partnered with RedBit to build and launch a modern, scalable, and cost-effective website. This project involved creating key pages, migrating existing content, and integrating essential tools to enhance functionality and user experience.

Challenges

Second Harvest faced several hurdles during their website transformation:

1. Large-Scale Content Migration: With over 200 blog posts to transfer from their old website, the migration was daunting. Complicating the process were malicious links embedded in the code, which redirected users to harmful websites and posed severe security risks.
2. Technical Integration Difficulties: Integrating the recruitment platform Greenhouse with Webflow for their careers page presented a significant challenge. Without an efficient system, managing job postings was time-intensive and inefficient.
3. High Hosting Costs: Second Harvest was facing high hosting and support costs, making their existing setup unsustainable. This underscored the need for a more cost-effective and functional solution.
4. Limited In-House Expertise: While the team had some familiarity with Webflow, they lacked the technical expertise to handle the complexities of a large-scale migration and to build a fully functional website from scratch.

Solutions

RedBit collaborated closely with Second Harvest to develop a secure, user-friendly, and cost-efficient website. The project covered several key areas:

1. Custom Blog Importer

To address the challenge of migrating over 200 blog posts, RedBit built a tailored automation tool. This solution not only streamlined the process but also identified and removed all malicious links, safeguarding the new website. What once seemed overwhelming was accomplished efficiently and securely.

2. Greenhouse Integration

RedBit implemented a seamless connection between Greenhouse and Webflow, enabling Second Harvest to manage their careers page from a single platform. This integration simplified job postings, updates, and removals, significantly reducing manual effort and saving valuable time.

3. Page Development and Design

Using Webflow’s powerful features and third-party tools like Finsweet, RedBit brought Second Harvest’s vision to life. Key pages, including the homepage and about page, were designed with functionality, scalability, and user experience in mind. Each page was tailored to reflect the organization’s mission and engage visitors effectively.

4. Cost Optimization

The migration to Webflow dramatically reduced hosting and support costs, saving Second Harvest tens of thousands of dollars annually. The new website also eliminated reliance on expensive external developers, allowing the organization to allocate more resources toward initiatives directly aligned with their mission of combating food waste and hunger.

5. Empowering the Marketing Team

Webflow’s intuitive interface empowered Second Harvest’s marketing team to take full ownership of their website. Using pre-made components and an easy-to-manage CMS, the team can now independently update content, create new pages, and manage workflows without delays, increasing efficiency and reducing bottlenecks.

Outcomes

The collaboration between Second Harvest and RedBit resulted in a highly successful outcome:

• Independent Website Management: The marketing team can now control the website entirely, from updates to content creation, without requiring developer assistance. This independence has saved valuable time and improved workflow efficiency.
• Significant Cost Savings: By transitioning to Webflow, Second Harvest saved tens of thousands of dollars annually on hosting and support costs. These savings have been redirected toward their mission of ensuring everyone has access to fresh, nutritious food.
• Improved Security and Functionality: The removal of malicious links and the integration of Greenhouse streamlined workflows, enhanced security, and provided a seamless user experience.
• Scalable, Future-Ready Platform: The new website is not only tailored to meet current needs but is also scalable, ensuring it can adapt as the organization grows and evolves.
• Strengthened Focus on the Mission: With a modern, efficient website in place, Second Harvest can focus more energy and resources on their core mission: rescuing food and feeding people in need.

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Conclusion

RedBit’s partnership with Second Harvest exemplifies how technology and expertise can transform a nonprofit’s digital presence. By building a secure, cost-effective, and user-friendly website, RedBit empowered Second Harvest to take control of their online platform and significantly reduce costs.The new website not only supports their immediate operations but also positions the organization for continued growth, allowing them to focus on what matters most fighting food waste and ensuring no one goes hungry.