Indy GiveCamp

Volunteers Donate Their Time for a 48-Hour Coding Marathon to Build Charities New Web Sites

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (August 31, 2011) Starting today, Indy GiveCamp is now accepting proposals from local charities for pro-bono software projects. Indy GiveCamp is a weekend-long event where software developers, designers, and database administrators donate their time to create custom software for non-profit organizations. This custom software could be a new website to broadcast the organization’s mission, keep track of member information, or a communication tool. The only limitation for a project is that it must be scoped to be completed in a weekend.

Last year, 9 charities received approximately $150,000 in web design and consulting services. 2010’s weekend host, Jay Harris of Ann Arbor, MI, will be again returning to Indianapolis for 2011. “The success of last year’s event will help us provide more assistance to even more charities”, said Harris. “Our charities included everything from small neighborhood clinics to international assistance charities.” “Add in a large room full of eager and talented web developers and the impact is unimaginable.”

Prospective charities are small to medium groups without the technical capabilities or resources to establish new systems or maintain antiquated systems. Indy GiveCamp pairs charities with 3-8 industry experts.

Jeri Warner, Executive Director of Trusted Mentors, said of the event, “I attended the weekend and found it to be enjoyable, and necessary to provide needed information. The time was well worth it! Because of the database, we have reduced the time necessary to produce reports. With a staff of 3, this is an important change.”

NuAfrica’s Mala Steffen was pleased to report, “The site helped our charity connect with volunteers, donors, and many others who were simply curious about what we do. The site also assisted in connecting NuAfrica with the First Lady of Mali, Africa, allowing for the start of collaborative efforts to bring water and education to an entire impoverished country.”

Charities are invited to apply on Indy GiveCamp’s web site at www.indygivecamp.org. Individuals wanting to help volunteer their technical knowledge are encouraged to register at the site listed above. The event will take place at MID Technologies on October 14th-16th near 96th and Keystone.

About Indy GiveCamp

Indy GiveCamp is the local “chapter” of a nationwide chain of philanthropic software programming events. After 70+ developers helped 9 charities in 2010, the organizers for 2011 are expecting to increase the number of selected charities dramatically. The first GiveCamp started in Dallas in 2007 leading to 30+ similar events all across the country. Information on the weekend’s events, sponsorship opportunities, charity information, and application process can be found at www.indygivecamp.org. Questions or comments can be sent to info@indygivecamp.org. Media requests may contact Craig Kelker at 317-903-0539 or ckelker@indygivecamp.org.

About Trusted Mentors

Since 2003, Trusted Mentors has provided over 125 volunteer mentors to adults referred by homeless prevention agencies. Building on its success, it has expanded its mission to include other populations at risk of becoming homeless, including low wage earners, ex-offenders, and young adults aging out of foster care. No other agency in Indianapolis provides this service. They can be found at www.trustedmentors.org.

About NuAfrica

NuAfrica is a non-profit humanitarian volunteer organization founded in 2008 by a small group of Americans who share a common goal: reducing inequity. Witnessing extreme poverty earlier in life equipped these individuals with the desire to help underserved impoverished communities of the world. For more information please visit www.nuafrica.org