What Is the “Data Lake” in FoodBank Manager?
The data lake in FoodBank Manager (FBM) is a secure storage layer used to collect depersonalized reporting data from across the food bank’s partner network.
It gives food banks visibility into overall service trends, unduplicated counts, and operational metrics — without exposing guest-level details from individual agencies.
What is stored in the data lake?
Total household and individual counts
Visit counts by site and service
Age breakdowns, zip codes, and demographic summaries
Hashed identifiers for unduplicated guest tracking
What is NOT stored in the data lake?
Names, phone numbers, addresses
Client notes, comments, or signatures
Household rosters or detailed visit logs
How is the data depersonalized?
FBM uses one-way hashing to generate unique guest fingerprints without storing any personal information. This allows the food bank to perform unduplicated counts without knowing who the individual is.
What can food banks do with the data lake?
Generate network-wide reports
Track trends across agencies
Report service impact to funders
Identify under- or over-served areas
Is the data lake secure?
Yes. It does not contain client records and is structured to prevent reverse identification. It supports transparency, planning, and funding while preserving privacy.
Summary
The data lake stores depersonalized, aggregate metrics
It allows for unduplicated counts using hashed IDs
It does not expose names, notes, or identifying info
It’s a powerful tool for regional insights and funding reports
Need help understanding your food bank’s reporting tools or visibility settings?
[Submit a support ticket →]
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