This year I’ve seen a lot of geeks doing a lot of fun things. I’ve organized my geek dinners (which I will try to revive in ’08). There were myriads of unconferences and (blank)camps and meetups. Startups had launch parties, summer bbqs, holiday parties, and no-real-reason parties. There were photowalks galore. I think this is awesome. But for the past few months I’ve been really thinking about how much more the tech community could be doing beyond our technology contributions.
I’ve donated to DonorsChoose this year, bought an OLPC, and gave to numerous of my friends’ good causes. My consulting firm is committed to taking on pro-bono projects for non-profit companies. I’m also putting aside a percentage of all gross revenue to give to charities. I feel that this is a good first step for me personally, one that I’d like to build on in the years to come.
After our morning at the SF Food Bank with Bug Labs last month, we decided we wanted to try to rally up the tech community to do something similar. So here we go, its time for Geeks Doing Good (I even own the domain – if this works, we’re going to try to make it a recurring event)! We have reserved two slots of 3 hours each, one at 9am, the other at 12:30pm, helping at the SF Food Bank. As volunteering goes, it’s a fairly “easy” event. You won’t get really dirty or smelly (well, no more so than you normally might), and you won’t really have to interact with anyone that might be unnerving.
Please consider taking just 3 hours out of your holiday season to help those in need. The stats on impoverished people in San Francisco are unbelievable, and I think we all need the occasional reality check from our generally cushy lives (yes, odds are pretty good that if you read my blog you lead a fairly cushy life – nothing wrong with that at all). If you can’t make it, how about donating even a few dollars instead (although my goal is really a full house, the money helps too)?
Let’s make this a success, and turn it into a recurring one, shall we? Also, if you want to help us out with planning other events, please email me or leave a comment here!
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Hi,
I think what you all are doing is great! My family, though we look like ummmmm…. middle class maybe, we are actually more like poor. We had a child 7 months ago our 3rd he weighed only 3 pounds, we have had such a hard time getting back on our feet. It seems like the whole paycheck goes to bills and we still don’t have enough for the week. It is enough to make someone who loves life not like it so much. In the past 7 months I have almost had my car repossessed 2 times and no food a good number of other times. There are people out here that struggle and everytime they try to make a move to better them selves someone better, more educated or a friend of a friend comes along and knocks us down. Will it ever just stop??
okay… so that turned into more like a vent.. this seems to happen a lot lately. I just wanted to say Good Job!! and Good Lookin` Out for those less fortunate. So…. Way to go!
Maybe more people will follow suit.
Hello, I am responding with good intentions on helping my community. I for the last 5 years have been trying to get my program off the ground and have had little sucess in getting someone to complete a 501c3 for my organization to make us tax exempt in order that we can move on. My organization is called Youth Alternative1. It s mission is to keep kids off the streets, re-educate parents and to break the cycle of violence. I have paid several people to complete the this process for me and none completed the task. I am seeking seed money in order to help families. I did a fund raiser a few years ago and fed over 50 families and I will tell you that this was one of the most satisfying things that I had ever done in my life. I want to continue to help by incorporating a before and after school program and rec center where I can coach youth and prepare them for careers and give parents the proper referrals needed for them to remain self sufficient while asisting their youth in enhancing skills in content areas making their learning cummulative and purposeful when in their classrooms. Please assist us in our efforts if at all possible and may God Bless!