The 5th Annual Southwest Ohio GiveCamp was held Oct. 17-19 at the Miami University Voice of America Learning Center. Seventy-eight volunteers, including Centric’s Brian Starr, Michael Scholle and Larry Wildey, gathered for two days to create new websites, develop databases, and publish new mobile applications.
Brian’s Project Brian worked on an iPhone application for ExtraOrdinary Give. ExtraOrdinary Give helps non-profits find volunteers and donors. The iPhone app will allow people to research organizations to see what opportunities are around and either sign up to volunteer or donate money directly from their mobile device. Because completing this app was a large endeavor for the two-days at GiveCamp, Brian plans to stay on to help complete the application and make it available in the App Store within the next 30 days.
Larry’s Project Larry worked with a group on a project for Adopt a Book Inc., a small charity started by two siblings and now run by the entire family. Adopt a Book collects new and gently used books to give to kids in need. Larry’s team built a new site for the organization that has a nicer look and feel and is easier to maintain. They also added new features such as a database to store requests for books and improved content management so that the family can easily maintain the site.
Michael’s Project Michael was part of an awesome four-man team working with the Dayton Ombudsman Office. Before GiveCamp the office used an Excel file of resources to help direct people to the right organization for help. By the end of the two-day GiveCamp, the team not only met the goal of creating a searchable database to house agency data, they also met a stretch goal by adding the ability for those searching the database to add their zip code. This will enable the Ombudsman office to understand which area is searching and what they are searching for. This data is heavily needed as it is how they keep their funding.
Michael said “All-in-all it was a very positive and fun weekend where like-minded individuals were able to get together and do what we all love, along with helping those in need.”
Volunteers donated almost 2,000 hours, valued at more than $200,000, to create software projects for 13 non-profits. The non-profits that benefitted from the event are headquartered throughout southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky and included:
- Impact 100 Cincinnati
- Self-Sustaining Enterprises DBA Mason Food Pantry
- Testicular Cancer Society
- 4 Paws for Ability
- Ombudsman Office
- Meredith’s Miracles Colon Cancer Foundation
- Adopt a Book Inc.
- Cincinnati JACL
- ExtraOrdinary Give
- Dan Beard Eagle Scout Association
- United Rehabilitation Services
- Parents 2 Partners
- Communities United for Action
About Southwest Ohio GiveCamp
GiveCamp is a weekend-long event that brings together a community of volunteers who donate their time and talents to provide web and software solutions for local non-profit organizations. Since its beginnings in 2007, the GiveCamp program has spread to many communities throughout the United States, including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Southwest Ohio. The Southwest Ohio GiveCamp program has provided benefits to several dozen local charities, worth thousands of dollars in software services. The yearly event is organized by volunteers from local technology communities. Learn more at www.southwestohiogivecamp.org.
Below are a few photos from the event. Check out Centric’s Facebook page to see more.
