Information Security Notice

July 23, 2020 –We are writing to inform you about about a data security incident we just learned about in recent days. This happened at a software firm we use. It is our understanding that no payment data (credit cards and bank account information) or identifying information such as Social Security numbers (which we have never stored) were involved in the incident. We are investigating this independently and are taking action to protect you.

What Happened

On July 16th, we were notified by Blackbaud, our fundraising software service provider, that they discovered and stopped a cyber attack which may have impacted the Vermont Foodbank. Blackbaud told us that their cyber security team—together with independent forensics experts and law enforcement—successfully stopped the attack.

What Information Was Involved

It is our understanding that no sensitive information was involved in this incident, in that no credit card or bank account information or Social Security numbers were compromised. We are also conducting our own investigation with a privacy expert to confirm that this information was not affected.

What We Are Doing

We are notifying you because you may have been impacted and so that you are informed of what occurred. Ensuring the safety of your data is of the utmost importance to us. If we determine that there was unauthorized access to your protected information during Blackbaud’s incident, we will of course provide all required notifications. Blackbaud has also already implemented several changes that will protect your data from any subsequent incidents.

What You Can Do

While we do not have any evidence that your information was misused, we recommend you remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity or suspected identity theft to the proper authorities.

For More Information

We are grateful for your continued support and we regret that this happened. If you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to contact the Vermont Foodbank’s Chief Philanthropy Officer, Allison Mindel directly at (802) 477-4108 or amindel@vtfoodbank.org.