2026 CASE STUDY
From Guessing at Needs to Making Data-Supported Decisions
Partner Spotlight: Partner Spotlight: Shelter KC
The Challenge
Measuring Beyond Traditional Metrics
Shelter KC provides a wide array of services including emergency overnight sheltering, case management, and recovery programs like the Christian Community of Recovery. Despite their comprehensive approach—which includes specialized mental and physical health stabilization—the organization faced a challenge in evaluating the impact of their trauma-informed facility renovations.
Traditional metrics like job placement or housing status failed to capture the experience and feedback felt by guests within the facility. They identified several critical needs:
Beyond "Better than the Alternative": Shelter KC wanted to measure improvement against their own past performance rather than simply comparing themselves to lower-quality shelters.
The Voices of the Vulnerable: One principle of trauma-informed care is ensuring participants have a voice, yet collecting honest feedback from a population that may be wary of authority is difficult.
Actionable Maintenance and Policy Data: Staff needed a way to prioritize maintenance issues—like broken water fountains or dripping faucets—and identify policy friction points in real-time.
The Solution
Pulse For Good's Autonomous Listening Engine
To bridge the gap between service delivery and guest experience, Shelter KC implemented a Pulse For Good self-service kiosk located in their chapel—the "multi-purpose room" where guests gather for meals, classes, and chapel services. To achieve maximum visibility, the kiosk is placed where the highest number of people stay for the longest duration, supplemented by QR codes and computer shortcuts throughout the facility and the women's center.
Autonomous & Anonymous
The kiosks provide a safe, private space for members to share true feelings without staff intervention.
Real-Time Dashboards
Staff gained instant access to a survey dashboard, transforming raw sentiment into actionable data.
Consistent Monitoring
Results can be reviewed 24/7 to ensure any issues are addressed immediately.
The Results
Insights Behind the Data
The Pulse For Good dashboard transformed raw sentiment into actionable ministry improvements:
Visibility for Leaders
Leadership uses the "average sentiment" meter to quickly gauge the monthly mood of the shelter and investigate downward trends immediately.
Metrics for Donors
High ratings in "feeling safe" (averaging 4.8 out of 5.0) provide data-backed evidence to donors and city officials that the shelter is a secure environment.
Community Trends
The "word cloud" feature has highlighted overarching themes like "thank staff," confirming that the organization’s core values of healthy relationships are being met.
De-escalation Tool
The kiosk serves as a "reset" for guests in crisis; staff can direct frustrated individuals to the kiosk, guaranteeing leadership will see their concerns while providing the guest time to calm down through the survey process.
Implementation
From Feedback to Transformation
Shelter KC utilized these insights to move beyond generic assistance toward a more dignified, responsive model:
After a renovation, a guest used the kiosk to report that a room still felt "like prison" because everyone was forced into one space. Shelter KC responded to this insight, including multiple TV lounges and a courtyard in their next renovation phase.
Shelter KC uses a large TV next to the kiosk to display slides that show specific policy changes implemented based on guest feedback, proving to guests that their voice matters.
Daily checks of text responses allow for the immediate repair of facility issues like broken water fountains or leaking showers.
Positive feedback is shared with staff and program residents monthly to build morale and reinforce the organization's mission.
Conclusion
Bridging the Gap Through Listening
By implementing Pulse For Good, Shelter KC has created a culture where guests feel valued and heard. The system has moved the ministry from guessing at needs to making "data-supported" decisions that promote dignity and community.
"Pulse is essentially giving us feedback daily from the approximately 100 people we serve overnight... it’s like convincing a colleague to stay overnight and give their thoughts." — David Phillips, Men’s Center Director
Why Choose Pulse For Good?
Go Beyond Traditional Surveys
Families Forward transformed their operations by listening to their community's voice. You can achieve similar results by utilizing Pulse For Good's purpose-built feedback system:
Safety First
Pulse For Good kiosks are designed specifically for high-risk environments, ensuring that fear and power dynamics do not skew the truth.
True Anonymity
Unlike traditional surveys that may carry a risk of retaliation, PFG kiosks provide a secure, private way for members to share their real experiences.
Real-Time Insights
Access feedback data immediately through intuitive dashboards, allowing you to identify and address trends before they become major issues.
Proven Results
Organizations using PFG kiosks see more than 7x higher response rates than traditional paper surveys, leading to earlier detection of issues and more confident decision-making.
Better Begins With Listening
Transform your organization's approach to community feedback and create meaningful change through real-time insights.
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