MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Nerdery Foundation today announced the Beta launch of NerdKind, an online community to facilitate connections between nonprofits with technology needs and technologists seeking community service opportunities.
Since 2008, The Nerdery Foundation has been holding a 24-hour hackathon known as The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge to connect the nerdy with the needy. With over $7 million in professional services provided to 200+ nonprofits so far, The Nerdery Foundation believes this is just the beginning – and that NerdKind can take tech philanthropy further.
“We know there are more nonprofit needs to serve, and more technologists ready to engage,” said Ginger Sorvari Bucklin, Executive Director at The Nerdery Foundation. “We’ve always known that not every potential nonprofit or project is a good fit for our time-boxed 24-hour, geo-specific event – some jobs were too small, some too big or outside of statewide eligibility per event. None of these barriers matter to Nerdkind (nerdkind.org).”
Nonprofits and tech pros – including UX designers, software engineers, digital strategists, business analysts, QA engineers and others – are encouraged to sign up, create a profile and begin proactive matchmaking on their own and with their friends, peers and colleagues. Nonprofits are asked to describe their organizational needs while technologists are asked to list what skills they have to share, along with which causes they’re most passionate about serving.
“As a first-of-its-kind website catered to the needs of the technology community, NerdKind offers an invaluable service to nonprofits in need,” said Nerdery co-founder and Nerdery Foundation board member Mike Derheim. “At the same time, NerdKind provides an avenue for technology professionals to give back to their communities – while doing what they love.”
NerdKind’s Beta launch efforts begin in its hometown of Minneapolis-St. Paul with Twin Cities Startup Week and expects participation in other cities where Nerdery Foundation has held events (Chicago, Kansas City and Phoenix) and nationwide. As a virtual experience, the success of NerdKind has few limits to participation. The more technology pros and nonprofits NerdKind can engage, the more successful the effort will be.
“We know our Nerds want to give back to their communities and NerdKind makes it easier for them to do so on their timeline and for a cause aligned with their passions,” said RJ Nicolosi, President at The Nerdery. “We also know that our Nerds at The Nerdery are not the only technologists that want to use their talents for the greater good. NerdKind is for all technologists – same as our Overnight Website Challenge. Nerds everywhere can contribute to NerdKind.”
About The Nerdery Foundation
The Nerdery Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, works to activate technologists to use their talents and skills to better our world. The Nerdery Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sierra Bravo Corp., which also includes sister companies The Nerdery, a digital consultancy of strategists, designers and engineers, and Prime Digital Academy, a school for aspiring software engineers and UX designers. Like-minded companies/foundations interested in sponsorship opportunities or donations should contact us.
Contact: [email protected]; 612-850-3178