This project is really started out as a challenge to see how JAMstack sites can perform for clients, rather than just personal sites. As a whole, I've seen organizations need a site built, they need CMS editing ability, and the page builder options are confusing for them, then the site rarely gets updated.

The idea of paying for a server instance, running a database, and backups seems out of scope in this scenario. After using different JAMstack technologies on various projects, and finding Netlify CMS, this was really my first shot at putting that into place for a client. It really was an instance of could I support an organizations needs using netlify, the tools I use every day, and not managing a server for them too forget about.

After building multiple tests with Eleventy, I realized it would perform well, and take a ton of the GraphQL and React complexity out of the site while I was figuring out netlify CMS, but I did need to sprinkle Vue around the site for certain interactions that I needed to complete the solution. Overall, I'm happy with the solution, as is the client. It met their expections and went well above them. The goal was a community project to help the homless in the frigid Wisconsin winter, and I feel it achieved that!