InnerCity Weightlifting wins. (Image via Krysta Voskowsky)
Roughly 1,500 members of Boston’s tech community came out to volunteer Wednesday, proving the power of what happens when Tech Gives Back.
Technology Underwriting Greater Good hosted the fourth annual event, partnering for the first time with Silicon Valley Bank to make the service component of the day free for all startups. TUGG dispersed volunteers to sites throughout Greater Boston; in Dorchester, people worked on “beautifying” BUILD’s Youth Business Incubator at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School by cleaning, painting walls and piecing together furniture, while in Waltham, individuals cleaned up brush and helped landscape at the Lyman Estate.
In total, roughly 8,000 hours of community service were completed — and by employees from almost 250 companies, ranging from Boston-born startups DataXu, Yesware, Draftkings and Fiksu to public companies, such as Twitter, Google, PayPal and Constant Contact. More than 10 venture firms also took part in the day, which ended in a Block Party at Boston’s newest innovative public park Lawn on D.
Seven youth nonprofits were on hand at the Block Party, all vying for attendees’ votes. Approximately $150,000 in grants were awarded Wednesday evening, and they were:
- $50,000 to Resilient Coders, a free, volunteer-based program focused on making Web technology more available to children who might not otherwise be exposed to it.
- $50,000 to InnerCity Weightlifting, whose mission is to reduce violence and promote professional, personal and academic achievement among urban youth.
- $10,000 to CareerVillage, a platform making it easy for students to get college and career advice from real working professionals.
- $10,000 to HSHS Youth Housing Initiative, a nonprofit working to end youth homelessness in Greater Boston through stabilizing support, long-term solutions and advocacy.
- $10,000 to NBA Math Hoops, a company striving to improve math literacy by designing and distributing fun, innovative and effective educational tools that harness the power of basketball.
- $10,000 to Catie’s Closet, which is building a “walk-in” closet in underserved schools so students have immediate access to clothing, toiletries and basic necessities.
- $10,000 to Science and Scientists, an educational nonprofit focused on inspiring and motivating youth to embrace science, technology, engineering and mathematics during school, through year-long, module-based science teaching, field trips, and science fair support.
With the big win, InnerCity Weightlifting has been retired from TUGG, now that the nonprofit is hitting $1-million in annual capital. “They have come a very long way since their first event, which was at the original Tech Gives Back,” said David Brown, executive director of TUGG, in an email to BostInno.
Speaking to how he felt the event went, Brown shared:
Tech Gives Back gets me really excited for the future of Boston. The energy the startup community here puts behind making Boston a better place really shows how invested they are in our community, in our nonprofits and in making this an amazing place to live. I am always impressed by the turn out and look forward to going from 1,500 folks this year to 3,000 next year and 5,000 the year after that. The startup community delivers such amazing value and it’s awesome to see!
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