A large veteran-service provider dedicated to supporting veterans, first responders, their families, and surviving family members of fallen heroes offers a variety of programs that focus on housing, wellness, and community outreach. In order to better support their mission and streamline event processes, this organization needed a more efficient way to manage and communicate with families participating in the foundation’s events. Client Cloudcare was tasked with developing a solution to help meet these needs, creating two user experience portals from the ground up to support operations and ensure the success of the organization’s events.
 

INTRODUCTION

Through its wide range of programs, this large veteran-service organization provides critical services such as building custom homes for injured veterans, offering financial aid, and providing mental health support. The foundation also fosters community engagement and assists service members and their families in transitioning back into civilian life.

One of the organization’s most significant annual events is a special all-expenses-paid trip for children and surviving spouses of fallen military heroes. This event allows the children to experience joy, camaraderie, and healing alongside others who have experienced similar losses. The event takes place at a large resort and provides these children with the opportunity to create lasting memories with their families and the foundation’s supporters.

 

CHALLENGE

This annual event attracts 1,700 to 2,500 children and surviving spouses. To be eligible to attend, each family needed to meet specific criteria— meaning they are the surviving children of military members or first responders who died in service, and the children must be between the ages of 5 and 18.

In the past, the process to verify eligibility and send invitations to each family was handled manually, with staff needing to individually verify each applicant and send out invitations one by one. As the event grew, this process became increasingly time-consuming, often taking days to complete. This not only stretched staff resources thin but also created a barrier for some families, as the event operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Delays in receiving invitations ultimately reduced the chances for some families to secure a spot at the event.

The inefficiency extended beyond invitations. The organization’s staff also needed to individually follow up with invitees to gather additional registration information, such as t-shirt sizes, travel details, and other necessary documents for the event. With such a large volume of families to manage, the existing process was unsustainable.

Given these challenges, the organization needed a solution that would streamline the verification process, simplify event registration, and be implemented within a three-month timeframe.

 

SOLUTION AND RESULTS

Client Cloudcare had three months to design, build, and implement a solution. In order to create a sustainable and scalable solution, Client Cloudcare developed two custom user experience portals, integrated with Salesforce, that allowed the organization’s staff to efficiently manage the entire event registration process.

One of the portals was an Experience Cloud page that serves as an application portal. Here, families could submit their information to determine whether they meet the eligibility criteria. Then, using a custom record-triggered flow, once an application is created, the system then alerts staff with automated “chatter” and creates a task to verify the applicant. After the staff member reviews the applicant, the system then notifies the applicant about the application status—either approved or denied. Finally, once an application is approved, it appears in a report, from which the organization’s staff can mass-invite eligible applicants to the event.

The second portal is used by invited families to complete their registration. After logging in, they can respond to the invitation and provide additional details, such as t-shirt sizes, travel arrangements, ADA accommodations, and whether they need to add an additional chaperone (if a parent can’t attend). The system automates follow-up tasks, creating support requests for additional contacts or updates as necessary. This automation not only saves the organization’s staff valuable time but also ensures that all required information is gathered upfront, eliminating the need for staff to chase down missing details.

In just three months, Client Cloudcare successfully delivered the two portals, allowing the organization to launch their invitation campaign for their largest annual event on time. The solution greatly reduced the manual effort required to verify applicants and send invitations, giving staff more time to focus on other critical tasks.

 

CONCLUSION

Thanks to the solution implemented by Client Cloudcare, the veteran service provider was able to streamline its event management processes, saving days of work and ensuring a smoother experience for both families and staff. The automated workflows helped eliminate delays in the invitation process, ensuring all eligible families had an equal opportunity to attend.

Since the initial launch, Client Cloudcare has continued to work with this organization, providing ongoing support and improvements for other large events. They have since expanded the system to include tools for the airlift team to coordinate transportation logistics and a portal for tracking volunteers, including shift scheduling and event RSVPs.

The organization has relied on Client Cloudcare for over a year to enhance its event management processes, and the partnership continues to evolve, focusing on increasing efficiency and finding new ways to serve the foundation’s mission.