The author, who is the director of web development at NewSpring Church, a large organization that has experienced explosive growth, was looking for a solution to integrate multiple data sources from different vendors and in-house systems into a single endpoint. They discovered GraphQL, an application query language that allows client-side applications to get the data they want, and decided to use it to unify their disparate stacks. By using GraphQL, they were able to connect multiple databases and systems together into a single endpoint, resulting in improved performance, scalability, and developer productivity. The author credits the Apollo data stack for making it easier to work with GraphQL, citing its great client library, awesome features, killer dev tooling, and simplified server setup. With GraphQL, the organization was able to build their products around their features rather than around their tech stack, providing a solid foundation for future success.