A Safer Way to Serve: The Compass Upgrades IT Security to Better Support Mississauga

MISSISSAUGA, ON – The Compass Food Bank & Outreach Centre has received a vital operational boost thanks to a $51,800 Seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). This provincial investment is targeted at modernizing the organization’s IT infrastructure—a critical, often unseen backbone for a charity currently facing unprecedented levels of demand.

Since 2002, The Compass has been a lifeline for South Mississauga. However, with recent statistics indicating that one in 13 Mississauga residents now rely on food banks, the strain on their systems has intensified. In 2024 alone, the organization supported 6,321 individuals and distributed nearly one million pounds of food. Managing this vast logistical challenge requires robust, secure technology.

The OTF grant has enabled The Compass to urgently address needs identified in a recent independent security review. The funds were utilized to upgrade aging computers, develop essential disaster recovery plans, establish new IT policies, and secure ongoing professional IT support.

MPP Rudy Cuzzetto (Mississauga—Lakeshore) recently met with the team to celebrate the project’s success, emphasizing that these upgrades go far beyond simple hardware. “This is critical infrastructure that supports everything from online food orders to volunteer coordination and the protection of sensitive client information,” stated Cuzzetto.

By fortifying its digital foundation today, The Compass ensures it can continue to serve the community efficiently and with dignity, safeguarding client privacy while managing the complex logistics of modern food banking for years to come.