If you haven’t already heard (and honestly, all the cool kids are going to be there), there is going to be a GiveCamp in Columbus, OH the weekend of July 17-19. Don’t live near Columbus? There’s a GiveCamp in Ann Arbor, MI the same weekend. So just stop it. You have run out of excuses to participate!
What is a GiveCamp?
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 for the nonprofit organization, a small data-collection application to keep track of members, or a application for the Red Cross that automatically emails a blood donor three months after they’ve donated blood to remind them that they are now eligible to donate again. The only limitation is that the project should be scoped to be able to be completed in a weekend.
During GiveCamp, developers are welcome to go home in the evenings or camp out all weekend long. There are usually food and drink provided at the event. There are sometimes even game systems set up for when you and your need a little break! Overall, it’s a great opportunity for people to work together, developing new friendships, and doing something important for their community.
At GiveCamp, there is an expectation of “What Happens at GiveCamp, Stays at GiveCamp”. Therefore, all source code must be turned over to the charities at the end of the weekend (developers cannot ask for payment) and the charities are responsible for maintaining the code moving forward (charities cannot expect the developers to maintain the codebase).
How can I get involved? This sounds fun.
There’s a form at the Columbus GiveCamp site that you can use to register. Click here to sign up for the Columbus GiveCamp. If you’d like more information first, they have a Frequently Asked Questions page you can refer to as well.
How can my charity get help from the GiveCamp?
There’s a deadline of July 8th, and you can register on their site. Here’s the link to register as a charity. There’s also an extensive FAQ for charities that can be found on the Columbus GiveCamp site.
Get involved. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience.
JEFF BLANKENBURG 