footer {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: row;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
    justify-content: space-between;
    align-items: center;
    height: auto;
    min-height: 5rem;
    margin-top: auto;
    padding-left: 1rem;
    padding-right: 1rem;
}

/* color links white on hover for better visibility */
footer a:hover{
    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.781);
}

/* try to center the footer cards by giving outer elements the same width */
.footer_section_outer{
    width: 15%;
}

.footer_section_start{
    text-align: start;
}

.footer_section_end{
    display: flex;
    justify-content: end;
    column-gap: 1.5rem;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
}

/* footer cards having their own flex */
.footer_section_center {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: row;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
    justify-content: center;
    column-gap: 2.5rem;
    row-gap: 0.5rem;
}

@media (max-width: 950px) {
    footer {
        flex-direction: column;
        align-items: start;
        min-height: unset; /* extend footer and paint bg-color to bottom */
        padding-top: 0.75rem;
        padding-bottom: 0.5rem;
    }
    .footer_section_center{
        justify-content: start;
    }
    .footer_section_start{
        order: 1;
        justify-content: start;
        margin-top: 1rem;
    }
    .footer_section_end{
        order: 2;
        justify-content: start;
        align-items: start;
    }
}