Aqubanc Check Donation Processing Helps Rescue Mission Expedite Donor Recognition Process

Mitch Rozonkiewiecz joined the leadership team of the Rescue Mission Alliance four years ago, as its Chief Information Officer (CIO). He felt a connection to the faith-based organization which strives to provide hope, end hunger and homelessness, and make a positive difference in the lives of those at risk in the communities of Syracuse, Auburn, Binghamton and Ithaca, New York.

He had very little faith, however, in the financial feasibility of the organization’s decision to outsource its check operations to a firm in the Midwest.

Donors should be recognized and appreciated
“Donors would send checks to us and it would take us up to two weeks to enter them into our system,” said Mitch, explaining that this would slow down the critically important donor acknowledgment process.

Mitch has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 25 years, 21 of which were spent as CIO of Community General Hospital in Syracuse. He knows that donors who feel that their gifts are valued and appreciated often become repeat donors

Deal with vendors who know and respect your needs
He also knows the importance of dealing with a vendor who is knowledgeable about the needs of the clients they serve and stands behind the products they represent. He has been a DonorPerfect client since 1992 and trusted that their partner, Aqubanc, would be able to advise the Rescue Mission Alliance on the best way to unclog the bottlenecks that seriously delayed donor responsiveness.

Jim
 Cowen is the founder and president of Aqubanc, one of the industry leaders in automating gift processing to help missions, ministries, and other faith-based organizations achieve greater accuracy, efficiency and cost savings. According to Cowen, “The partnership between DonorPerfect and Aqubanc ensures that these nonprofits can have a seamless integration of gift processing from the automated scanning of checks and response devices directly into the DonorPerfect donor database.”

Mitch invited Jim to come out to Syracuse, review their current check processing system, and make recommendations for a better way to get the job done. “Jim defined the process, equipment, and software we would need to be more responsive to our donors, and early in this process, he gained our confidence and our trust.”

“Jim is a straight shooter who knows his product and what it can and can’t deliver, “ Mitch said. He is also, like Mitch, a “hands-on” type of guy. “He installed the necessary equipment and software and made sure that everything was fully functional by the projected implementation date,” Mitch said.

Finding more time to advance their mission
Mitch is proud that his organization has joined the 45 rescue missions, food banks, and faith-based organizations across the country who have successfully stewarded their resources through their relationship with Aqubanc. Now, Mitch and his staff can accurately post donor data in real time to DonorPerfect and thank supporters more expeditiously for their generosity.

The time that Mitch saves by automating check processing has already been allocated to meet important organization goals and objectives. “We run 15 community thrift shops to help provide affordable clothing and generate income to support the programs and services we provide to New Yorkers at risk and in need,” he said, adding that store proceeds are an important source of revenue for an organization that maintains an $18,000,000 budget to serve New York State’s most fragile community members. Mitch is personally overseeing the installation of new, computerized cash registers in all of the stores to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of sales.

Sharing suggestions with others
Mitch believes in paying things forward in life. He is so pleased with the results he has achieved by working with DonorPerfect and its partner, Aqubanc to save time and enhance efficiency, that he has offered to personally share his experiences with DP clients. If you have a question or need advice, you can contact him at Mitch@RMSyr.org

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