Impact Bytes: Using Technology to Support The Trevor Project's Mission to End LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide

This article is part of Splunk’s Impact Bytes series, which highlights customers, grantees, and employees creating positive change in our local and global communities.

As the world commemorated Pride Month this June, we’re honored to spotlight a remarkable nonprofit using Splunk to harness the power of data for good and improve the lives of people identifying with the LGTBQ+ community. 

The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGTBQ+ young people offering 24/7 life-saving crisis services via phone, text, and chat. Trevor’s goal is to end suicide among LGBTQ+ youth and help them envision a future where envisions a world where all LGBTQ+ young people feel safe, seen, and accepted exactly as they are.

Their technology team is responsible for ensuring that the spaces the organization provides are safe and that the data of the young people it serves, as well as staff, volunteers, and donors, is kept secure. The Trevor Project joined Splunk’s product donation program in 2023, focusing first on information security.

“By integrating Splunk, we’ve gained insights into data threats and user behaviors that previously eluded us,” says Jeremy Wilson-Herrmann, Vice President of IT and Security. “In our first year, Splunk-generated alerts allowed us to proactively address situations that could have led to breaches or other incidents.” Splunk dashboards provide an at-a-glance view into any security threats The Trevor Project may face. 

They’re also looking to expand their use of Splunk beyond security. “In a challenging fundraising environment for LGBTQ+ organizations, we plan to use Splunk to gain insights into the utilization of our SaaS applications and cloud infrastructure resources,” says Allie Kintner, Information Security Program Manager. “That helps us validate the business need for our software spend, strengthening our financial position so we can continue to provide critical services to LGBTQ+ youth for many years to come.”

Ultimately, the partnership is about shared values. “The Trevor Project and Splunk share a commitment to innovating for impact,” says Jeremy. “Our partnership has inspired us to continuously consider how our technology can help us better protect the LGBTQ+ young people we serve.” 

Learn more and donate. You can also follow The Trevor Project on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.