Citisoft’s 2026 Volunteer Month: Combating food insecurity in our global communities

This September, Citisoft employees came together for our annual Volunteer Month, an initiative organized by Citisoft’s Volunteerism Committee, led by Derek Pratt with executive sponsorship from Tom Secaur.

Four years ago, our teams across the UK and North America identified food insecurity as a cause where we wanted to make a real impact. United by a shared commitment to giving back, our global teams have dedicated time and resources to supporting organizations combating food insecurity since 2022.

The UN World Food Programme defines food insecurity as a condition in which people do not have access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development, and an active and healthy life.

This is an issue affecting our communities and neighbors in the UK and across North America. According to the 2026 Massachusetts Food Access Report, food insecurity has doubled since 2019 with 40% of Mass residents now affected. Similarly, in the UK, one-in-eight households are food insecure, as reported by the UK Food Foundation.

Citisoft partnered with three organizations this year whose work directly supports those facing food insecurity. Our teams dedicated their time to volunteering along with donations to further the valuable missions of these nonprofits.

Meet the organizations

New England Center & Home for Veterans, Massachusetts, USA

Based in Boston, the New England Center & Home for Veterans (NECHV) supports veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Their mission is to help veterans build stability, achieve independent living and work toward long-term economic self-sufficiency.

Citisoft Director, Derek Whitney, organized a volunteer afternoon with NECHV, where a team of Citisoft’rs served a total of 109 lunches to veterans.

When reflecting on working with the nonprofit, Derek shared, “The NECHV team was great to work with, and spending time at the center gave us a better appreciation for their impact. It was also rewarding to step away from our day-to-day work and contribute together as colleagues to an issue Citisoft has made a priority in our community.”

Gaining Ground Farm, Massachusetts, USA

For more than 30 years, Gaining Ground has used regenerative no-till farming to grow healthy, organic, sustainable food for individuals and families facing food insecurity across Massachusetts. Every pound of produce grown is donated to local food banks and individuals experiencing food insecurity.

A group of Citisoft volunteers spent a sunny afternoon at the Concord farm preparing land for future planting. The group rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty to turn over a plot of land for new crops.

When asked about the partnership, Principal Consultant, Amanda Scarfo reflected, “this was our second consecutive year volunteering with Gaining Ground, and it was rewarding to continue supporting an organization that donates 100% of the food it grows. The experience provided a meaningful opportunity to learn more about the impact of food insecurity and the power of community-driven action.”

Hackney Foodbank, London, UK

Guided by its mission of "supporting people in crisis with compassion and dignity," Hackney Foodbank has been serving East London communities since 2012. To date, the organization has distributed over 864,632kg of food and household items to people experiencing hardship and poverty.

One volunteer from our group, Principal Consultant, Krishna Chakkirala, noted how “support from businesses and other partners is so important in helping organizations, like Hackney Foodbank, meet their community’s demand and deliver on their mission.”