Onto 2021. Let's Do This, Boston.

2020 began like any other year, as we celebrated a productive 2019 and anticipated continuing to build and engage alongside Boston’s tech community in the new year. But on March 10, the world changed. Governor Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts, and we've been working through a new normal ever since.

At its core, TUGG’s mission is to bridge Boston’s tech and nonprofit communities, leveraging local expertise and building relationships in the spirit of giving back. 2020 brought changes to methods, tactics, and execution of our mission, but our core remained unchanged.

Please read on to hear about how our portfolio of nonprofits continued to grow in 2020, and how TUGG has facilitated giving in a way we haven’t experienced before.

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Portfolio highlights

Resilient Coders

David Delmar, Executive Director & Founder: “The biggest thing is that our people rallied through what was the hardest year we've ever had. That's not a "Resilient Coders" win. That's a "tech community" win. You all did that. We've provided some great talent this year. You all saw that talent.“

• Average starting salary of their graduates is ~$90k, and 11 of 16 graduates from their 2020 program already have jobs. Reach out to david@resilienctcoders.org about hiring the rest of those graduates!

• Just announced an expansion pilot program in Philadelphia!

• Won the most votes at TUGG’s Wine & Tequila Party for the 7th consecutive event, walking away with a $50,000 prize.
  

Catie’s Closet

Mickey Cockrell, Founder & CEO: “My biggest takeaway from 2020 has been that through the worst of it all, the compassion and generosity of the tech community consistently shined through. Knowing that so many of you have had our backs has helped keep us focused on our mission and together we're ready to take on the next chapter at Catie's Closet.”

• Awarded an exclusive 3-year contract from Boston Public Schools to open 75 additional in-school closets. Additionally, because of an increased demand outside of Boston, they’ve developed an affiliate model launching nationally in January 2021. The first location is in Long Island, NY.

• Delivered 1,000,000 units to meal sites during the last 9 months in response to COVID-19.
  

First Teacher

First Teacher parent: "Thank you, thank you, thank you! First Teacher has always been such an incredible resource and support for us, but especially now! With so much isolation, pent up emotions, and tiredness, your programs have given us a welcoming, warm, relaxed outlet and reminded us that we still belong to a community that cares so deeply about each other. Each of your programs has been a bright spot for us, something to look forward to, get excited about, and do together!"

• Gifted over $50,000 directly to families (including $15k from TUGG), and established more families and more cohorts in their community as well as more programming than they’ve ever had in a single year.

• Welcomed their first fully Spanish cohort of families to their community this year.

Science Club for Girls

Bonnie Bertolaet, Executive Director: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Science Club for Girls has continued engaging girls in hands-on STEM education and meaningful relationships with women in STEM mentors. Even in the virtual space, we've maintained a strong sense of community and connection, always at the heart of our work with girls in kindergarten through 12th grade. This is a critical time for girls and families -- particularly in communities we prioritize -- to continue receiving the opportunities that Science Club offers."  

• This fall semester, they reached more girls and mentors with Virtual Science Clubs than pre-COVID, especially from prioritized communities. In total they served over 250 girls (75% from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM) and 70+ mentors (65% from underrepresented backgrounds). 

• Produced and aired 25 episodes of their Live Science Show, #SCFGLive, with over 21,700 views. Additionally, they’ve completed delivery of 320 individual supply kits to girls and mentors to be able to participate in 8 weeks of hands-on engineering curriculum.

Y2Y

Cameron Van Fossen, Executive Director: "When COVID-19 hit, dedicated advocates hosted student shelter staff who needed a place to stay, community partners like the Harvard Square Business Association and the City of Cambridge offered meals to our guests, and when the pandemic threatened our operations, our community pooled resources to raise an emergency fund. It has been a true team effort, and we are incredibly proud!"

• To date, they have had zero cases of COVID-19 among guests and zero nights closed since the onset of the pandemic. Additionally, through a partnership with the Cambridge Housing Authority, they’ve placed 6 young people into stable housing and have the opportunity to place 8 more.

• On December 15th, broke ground on a second overnight site in New Haven, Connecticut! This site will achieve "functional zero" for youth homelessness in New Haven.

Tech Goes Home

Dan Noyes, Co-CEO: "2020 brought enormous challenges to the communities that Tech Goes Home serves throughout Greater Boston. Already facing systemic injustice, our communities are navigating unprecedented new challenges created by COVID-19 that disproportionately impact people of color and low-income households. We head into 2021 resolved to continue battling the inequities that our learners face and bring the digital inclusion that they so desperately need and deserve." 

• Provided programming to 4,000 graduates of which 90% are "very low income," 85% people of color, and 50% English learners.

• Executed one of the most successful years in their history - tripled corporate donations.

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TUGG Highlights

COVID Response

Led by Jeff Fagnan in April, TUGG leveraged local tech leaders and embarked on a COVID response initiative. Working in partnership with our nonprofits, we were able to put $100,000 directly into the hands of 200+ at-need families across Boston - families for whom the pandemic put their livelihood at immediate risk. These donations were used for essential items, things like food, diapers, rent, utility payments, and more.

TUGG Tech & Holiday Drives

Since July, TUGG has quietly embarked on a technology drive to seek out unused resources at tech companies and match them with nonprofits & families in need. To date, we’ve received and distributed over $50,000 worth of technology to our network of local nonprofits. These donations have helped our nonprofits better function remotely, and continue their missions. Without our partners at Workhuman, CyberArk, HqO, InsightSquared, Simply Business, Threatstack, Spotted, WHOOP, Affectiva, Veracode, Hopper, SessionM, and Armored Things, these vital donations wouldn’t be possible.

This holiday season, we’ve partnered with several tech partners to include TUGG nonprofits in their plans. Whether it be Rapid7 committing to donate to Mbadika for every employee that shows up to a virtual poker tournament, or SessionM holding a holiday drive for Science Club for Girls with a donation match, every company we worked with integrated TUGG nonprofits seamlessly with their company cultures. In total, we helped raise an additional $30,000 dollars in direct donations for TUGG nonprofits this holiday season.

Resilient Coders wins at TUGG’s Wine & Tequila party

In what has affectionately come to be known as “the party before the end of the world”, TUGG’s 13th annual Wine & Tequila party was a unique moment in time: another warm and energetic event that introduced our tech community to our two newest nonprofits and distributed $150,000 worth of prizes. We welcomed two new nonprofits: One Bead, focused on nurturing entrepreneurship in Boston’s at-risk youth, and Kode Connect, bringing hands-on STEM education and projects to the children of Brockton. Returning nonprofit Resilient Coders won the top prize of $50,000. 

We thank our 50+ sponsors, our longstanding vineyard partners, and every member of the tech community to celebrate Boston’s tech and nonprofit ecosystem with TUGG that night.

Silicon Valley Bank Leads Tech Gives Back

It seems obvious, but by June we finally absorbed the fact that large, in-person events would not be possible for the foreseeable future. We made the decision to postpone what would have been the 10th Anniversary of Tech Gives Back, the largest industry service event in the world.

The spirit of giving back never faltered, however. We applaud Silicon Valley Bank, a proud partner of TUGG and Tech Gives Back, for continuing what has become their own proud tradition at their offices around the world. Coming together from five countries, 1100+ virtual volunteers spent 2,900+ hours on skills-based projects in support of nonprofits that are addressing food security, shelter and social equity issues. Additionally, they pledged $431,000 to these nonprofits as part of their commitment.

Lunch & Learns

TUGG had to pivot our in-person Lunch & Learn programming to virtual. Yet employees were more engaged with nonprofits in video conversations and more motivated around virtual volunteering opportunities than we expected. Volunteering skills and time remotely is an easier ask when A, you don’t have to commute any further than to your couch; B, we’ve all been stuck inside actively searching for things to do; and C, there is still REAL impact that can come through connecting virtually with nonprofits.

The program has evolved as our tech partners needs have evolved. The initial value of a virtual Lunch & Learn was to maintain remote company culture. As teams began to feel “Zoomed-out” as time went on, we moved to a direct-to-volunteer model. Some tech partners even used our Lunch & Learn program to galvanize their global workforce. There’s no better example of this than when our friends at Workhuman introduced Tech Goes Home, a Boston-based and focused nonprofit, to their global team: it’s resulted in companywide adoption and several volunteers from overseas working on volunteering opportunities.

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If 2020 was a year of resilience and reinvention, let 2021 be the year we commit ourselves to helping Boston nonprofits.

We’ll continue making valuable connections to our nonprofits, but we need tech companies to partner with us.

We’ll continue to evolve as the needs of our tech community evolve, and we’ll commit to your company with opportunities that make sense.

We’ll stay true to our mission. But we can’t do it without you. 

Onto 2021.

Mike

mike@tugg.org

That’s (Almost) a Wrap! 2019 is done, here's to an awesome 2020.

2019 has been a year of growth, new ideas, and a renewed sense of purpose for TUGG and our mission that lives at the intersection of Boston's tech community and some of its most innovative nonprofits. We've had a busy year with two flagship events and new programming, and we wanted to take this opportunity to share some of the highlights with you.

Finally, we want to make sure that TUGG events are on your radar for 2020! We have another busy year ahead and if you are not already a member of the TUGG community, we hope you or your organization will consider reaching out to say hello. Here's what we're proud of this year:

In May, TUGG's renowned Wine & Tequila party made its highly anticipated return to the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. Over 1,100 Boston tech stars, representing 100+ companies, came out to celebrate social innovation with us. After evaluating 87 nonprofits, TUGG invited five organizations to share their stories and compete for cash prizes at the event. ARCK, a nonprofit that empowers students to become creative thinkers through art, and ThinkGive, a nonprofit that inspires young people to use kindness to engage with the world, made their TUGG debut this year. Three returning nonprofits, MediaGirls, Catie’s Closet and Resilient Coders, rounded out the cohort.

It was a close competition this year but in the end, Resilient Coders walked away with the grand prize: $50,000 in cash AND a $50,000 consulting contract donated by our friends at Engaged Giving Partners. Overall, $160,000 in prizes were rewarded to all the participating nonprofits. 

HUGE thank you to our 50+ sponsors who made Boston’s best night of the year possible! In addition to their financial support, the energy they brought to our event made it one of the most unforgettable nights of 2019.

Mark your calendars, TUGG’s Wine & Tequila Party returns again on March 5th, 2020.

Buy your tickets by 12/31 to receive 30% off!

Save the date!

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Our newest programming push, the TUGG Lunch n’ Learn series, kicked off in early 2019 and results have been overwhelmingly positive. From light-lift team volunteering to companies holding mini-hackathons after-hours for our nonprofits, 16 Boston tech companies welcomed 17 nonprofits in to their offices to speak about their mission this year. All in all, 50+ Lunch n’ Learns were held in 2019; a number we look to increase in 2020.

We continue to tweak the format, but the results speak for themselves.

85% of employees were more likely to volunteer after attending a Lunch n’ Learn and 99% of employees surveyed would recommend the program to a friend.

Are you interested in bringing some of Boston’s best nonprofits into your office for a Lunch n’ Learn?

Get a jump start on your 2020 CSR initiatives and sign up here!

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2019’s Tech Gives Back was the largest and most impactful industry service event on the planet. Over 100 nonprofit volunteer projects were filled with over 2,400 volunteers from 80 Boston companies, who came out to serve their community despite a looming Nor’Easter! That’s not to mention the additional 1,300+ global volunteers who worked in 11 American cities and 5 countries around the world through our partnership with Silicon Valley Bank.

This Tech Gives Back was a special one. We thank all of our sponsors, especially Silicon Valley Bank, for their unwavering support of TUGG and for making Boston a model for corporate citizenship around the world.

To the 90+ nonprofits we were able to assist this year: thank you for the vital work you do in some of our most vulnerable communities around Boston. Simply put, you are everyday heroes and we all are privileged to be able to volunteer to work with you.

And to the 3,700+ tech workers who donated their time this year…we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for being the most important part of Tech Gives Back.

In 2020, Tech Gives Back turns 10 years old! So let’s get out there and do it even bigger next year!

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Lastly…

Oh yeah…and we were named one of Bostinno’s 50 on Fire for 2019! Shout out to Sri and Rowan at Bostinno for the invite, and to whomever anonymously nominated us for this honor. The work we do to bring Boston tech and Boston nonprofits together is a great reward in itself, but this was a real nice surprise this year.

In closing…

2020 is going to be a a great year for Boston, its amazing (and philanthropic) tech community, and the nonprofits that we are so fortunate and grateful to serve.

What can we do together to make 2020 even better? Is this the year you become a part of the TUGG community?

We sure hope so.

Come to our parties. Host a Lunch n’ Learn. Volunteer at Tech Gives Back.

At the very least, reach out to community@tugg.org to say hello.

Thank you all for 2019. Now let’s rest over the holidays and come back ready to take 2020 to another level.

Excelsior!

~Mike

Tech Gives Back 2019: Another record breaking year for the Boston Tech community.

Tech Gives Back 2019 Forecast: 

Possible Nor’easter, heavy downpours, gusts up to 60 mph

Boston Tech: 

“Cool, when do we get started?”

Last year’s Tech Gives Back (my first as Executive Director at TUGG) was the largest ever in both scale and impact, and it was important to keep the foot on the gas for this year. The goal for #TechGivesBack2019 was always growth: more volunteers doing more meaningful work for more nonprofits. But with the learning curve of a new software, the introduction of a new category of volunteering opportunities, and a looming Nor’easter, expectations were tempered and I reconciled that our numbers and impact would likely fall off a bit from last year’s pinnacle. 

Of course I was wrong. Once again the TUGG community exceeded all expectations and stepped up to the challenge.

Despite the worst meteorological forecast we’ve ever seen for a TUGG event, our Boston tech partners lead a global volunteering initiative in what was the largest, most impactful, and far reaching Tech Gives Back yet. Not only that, but we served a record number of projects submitted by a record number of nonprofits as well.

Here’s a couple fun facts about Tech Gives Back this year:

Alongside our amazing partners at Silicon Valley Bank, over 2,400 volunteers in Boston and another 1,300+ (in 12 states and 5 countries!) came together October 10th and 11th, to participate in Tech Gives Back. That’s over 3,700 volunteers worldwide, giving back to the communities where we work and live (a record!).

Over 80 Boston tech companies came out in force this year, taking over projects or teaming up with their peers, to volunteer 7,500+ hours over two days (another record!). 

Finally, 80+ nonprofits hosted teams this year, filling 100+ different volunteer projects (the biggest record of them all!)

Skilled Volunteering

An exciting new chapter for TUGG & Tech Gives Back

This year, TUGG was pumped to introduce skilled volunteering opportunities to Tech Gives Back as a different flavor of volunteering. While physical, hands-on projects remain at the core of the event, we wanted to give our community the opportunity to use their professional skills to help Boston nonprofits solve legitimate business problems (like strategic planning or social media help). This year, we’re proud to share that skilled volunteering projects accounted for 35% of total projects, from transferring files to the cloud all the way to creating strategic planning docs for 2020. 

TUGG, Fairmarkit, and Asics Digital Hackathon for KodeConnect, a nonprofit based in Brockton

With our Lunch n’ Learn series and the addition of skilled opportunities for Tech Gives Back, TUGG continues to reinvent what corporate social responsibility means in Boston.

Thank You Party

The weather couldn’t stop the TUGG community from coming out and having a couple well deserved cocktails either! We were thrilled to welcome all sponsors, volunteers, and nonprofits to our “Thank You” party at District Hall this year. 

9 years ago, Tech Gives Back was started because a local journalist thought that Boston’s burgeoning tech industry wasn’t doing enough to give back to local communities. 

9 years later, and Boston has become a model for social responsibility around the world. This could never have been accomplished without the collective strength and ambitions of an entire community of people dedicated to the greater good.

A very special thanks to all of our sponsor partners!

Without the support of Silicon Valley Bank, our sponsors, and the engaged Boston tech community, Tech Gives Back would not be possible. Additionally, without the 100’s of nonprofits around the city doing the essential work in our communities, we would not be here.

From the bottom of our hearts here at TUGG, thank you to everyone involved in Tech Gives Back. Amazing job this year!

- Mike

TUGG 2019 Mid Year Update

We are officially halfway through 2019 and excited for a strong finish to the year! Here's what's been going on over at TUGG and what you can expect in the next 6 months.

TUGG's 13th Annual Wine & Tequila Party

On May 23rd, TUGG successfully hosted its 13th Annual Wine & Tequila party at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. Reaching capacity in just over an hour, over 1,100 members of the Boston Tech community came through the doors throughout the evening to celebrate social enterprise and innovation. Five nonprofits were invited to share their missions and “pitch” themselves to the crowd.

The five nonprofits invited to this year’s Wine & Tequila party were:

• ARCK Boston

• ThinkGive

• Resilient Coders

• Catie’s Closet

• MediaGirls

The competition was a lot closer than we’ve seen in recent years, but in the end Resilient Coders walked away with our grand prize: $50,000 in cash AND a $50,000 consulting contract donated by our friends at Engaged Giving Partners!

Great wine and tequila + 5 great nonprofits + an amazing crowd =

an unforgettable night had by all.

TUGG’s Wine & Tequila party would not be possible without the generous support from our sponsors. A HUGE thank you to the 50+ Boston tech companies that joined us and helped make our event a success.

TUGG’s Lunch n’ Learn Speaking Series

As 2018 turned into 2019, we took a long look in the mirror and asked ourselves: how can TUGG do a better job of helping our nonprofits connect with the Boston tech community?

The answer: TUGG’s Lunch n’ Learn Speaking Series

In January, partnering with The Boston Foundation, we quietly rolled out a new Lunch n’ Learn pilot program with 4 portfolio nonprofits and 4 Boston tech companies. The idea was simple: have a company agree to buy lunch for their employees and invite them to hear about a different nonprofit each month.

In just a few short months, it has been a complete win-win.

For our nonprofits, they’re able to share their missions with an entire new audience and solicit volunteers, donations, and make invaluable connections. For our participating companies, our program offers workforce development opportunities, employee growth and leadership, and is a solid check of the box for CSR strategy.

Here are some quick numbers on what we’ve already achieved:

In addition, each participating nonprofit surveyed has reported an influx in volunteering interest and new clients/donors/opportunity specific to their causes.

Are you interested in having your company host TUGG’s Lunch n’ Learn series? Reach out to community@tugg.org today to set up an intro call.

The second half of 2019 will be even better than the first!

We will continue to scale our Lunch n’ Learn Speaking Series and prepare for our next major event of the year, Tech Gives Back, in October. Please don’t hesitate to reach out in the meantime, to talk about how your organization and TUGG could partner up in 2019.

TUGG - what we've been working on and where we are going

2019 is off to a roaring start here at TUGG, with some exciting new initiatives and an eagerness as we look towards the return of the Wine & Tequila Party, our largest and favorite engagement event of the year. Here’s an update on what we’re focused on and what we have to look forward to.

THE WINE PARTY IS BACK!

Get ready, Boston: the return of one of the most electrifying events of the year is upon us. Join us as we welcome three new early-stage Boston nonprofits into the TUGG portfolio, and play a role in the voting process to determine how we allocate our grants. The night is a blast; you won’t regret spending the evening of May 23rd with the TUGG community at the BCA Cyclorama. Show your support of the Boston tech ecosystem by become a Wine & Tequila party sponsor!

If you are interested in having your company sponsor this event, please reach out to mike@tugg.org directly

New TUGG Programming - Lunch n’ Learn series

After a brief pilot program that showed demand and positive feedback, we’ve decided to accelerate the roll-out of our new Lunch n’ Learn series to members of the Boston tech community. If you’re a company that’s serious about workforce development and giving back, then we want to hear from you! It’s simple: all you have to do is provide lunch to your employees, TUGG provides a nonprofit that wants to tell its story, and we set up a 30-45 minute info session for your workforce to learn more about volunteering opportunities right in their own communities. This programming is in partnership with The Boston Foundation.

NEEDS:

TUGG runs as a very lean nonprofit and we rely on the graciousness and time of volunteers to help us run efficiently. In return for volunteering your time, TUGG is happy to add your name to our engagement council (which is showcased on our website). College students welcome! Currently, TUGG could use an extra set of hands for the following:

Social Media (2 hr/month) - TUGG needs a volunteer to keep our social media posts running smoothly. Duties include scheduling and creatively concepting tweets and FB posts. We can provide the content, looking some someone that is comfortable and creative with social.

Programming Coordinator (1-2 hr/week) - As we scale our Lunch n’ Learn program, TUGG needs someone who can coordinate between our participating companies and our portfolio of nonprofits. Duties include sending out introduction packs, helping schedule, and keeping the Lunch n’ Learn spreadsheet current.

Graphic Designer (1-2 hr/week) - With our upcoming Wine & Tequila Party, TUGG needs a graphic designer who can create a few different items with a look and feel consistent with TUGG’s brand. Items needed include formal invitations, information pamphlets, and an updated web design.

If you would like to be a part of TUGG’s future success by volunteering your skills, please reach out to community@tugg.org to set up some time to speak.

4 years worth of volunteering in 3 days. Tech Gives Back 2018 was a success. Thank you Boston Tech.

Tech Gives Back 2018 is done and was the first event I’ve had the privilege of hosting at TUGG. It could not have been a more meaningful week for myself or for the nonprofits we came together to help. A huge thank you to Silicon Valley Bank, a founding partner of Tech Gives Back, and the glue that brought last week together.

Last week, approximately 2,000 tech workers from 75 companies came together to volunteer at over 45 nonprofits in/around Boston, totaling over 6,000 hours of total community service. ——————————————————————————————————————That’s 4 and a half years of volunteering, accomplished over 3 days.

Go ahead and take a bow, Boston. You’re awesome.——————————————————————————————————————--

Tech Gives Back, Day 1: Guppy Tanks

(thanks to the Boston Foundation, BPS, and Salsify)

• 20 Boston tech companies opened their doors to over 400 6th grade students to engage them in a day dedicated to STEM learning and engagement.

• The students brainstormed and “built” apps focused on healthy living, with assistance from their their tech company group leaders.

• The students were all given rewards for their work and ended their days with a pizza party, certificates of completion, and company swag.

• Guppy Tank was featured, front page of the Biz section of the Boston Globe on October 19th.

A big thanks to Building Impact, who oversaw logistics for this day. Guppy Tank Programs had a lot of moving parts and they were up to the task.

Tech Gives Back, Days 2 & 3: Volunteer Projects

• 60 projects in total at 45 nonprofits in/around Boston

• Projects ranged from saving trees, to decorating for Halloween, to spreading positive messages for girls around Cambridge - and so much more than that.

• Over 70 Boston companies came out to work alongside one another, with the common goal of giving back to Boston communities.

In addition to that, this year Silicon Valley Bank extended Tech Gives Back to 5 other cities in the US as well as service events in Canada and England. Tech Gives Back, which began in Boston 8 years ago, has now extended across the US and even the world - bringing total # of volunteers this year to over 3,000. Thank you again for your vision and commitment to social good, Silicon Valley Bank.

Tech Gives Back Afterparty - The BUILD Entrepreneur Games

• 90% of Tech Gives Back participating companies were represented at this year’s eGames

• Over 1,000 people attended to compete in over 50 games with colleagues, friends, and peers.

• The TUGG Tech Gives Back Party Tent was ROCKING all night with buckets full of beer and wine, a ball pit, and a mechanical bull.

Thank you to BUILD Boston for throwing such a great event and hosting the afterparty

Tech Gives Back 2018, our largest and most impactful event yet, is done. Thank you to all of the companies that participated and all of the nonprofits that opened their doors. Most of all - a giant thank you to all of our sponsors. Without your support, TUGG would not be able to host programming like Tech Gives Back.

I want to say that again. Without the commitment to community and support of amazing sponsor tech companies that prioritize giving back within their culture to make a better Boston, none of this would be possible.

As always, anyone can reach me at mike@tugg.org if you want to chat.

LET’S GO SOX!

Tech Gives Back 2018: Big Changes. Bigger Impact.

Tech Gives Back turns 8 this year and, like the Boston Innovation ecosystem that we support, we’ve made some important improvements to the event that will make it bigger than ever! We are expanding Tech Gives Back to three full days of service (October 16th, 17th, and 18th) with a variety of different projects aimed at maximizing our impact across the city. 

What kinds of projects can your team sign up for? Glad you asked.

Tech Gives Back is going to have over 2,000 total volunteer opportunities at 50+ nonprofits, schools, and offices around Boston. STEM workshops, urban beautification, and a litany of opportunities offer single volunteers and teams a variety of project options that will greatly impact the region. It’s free to volunteer for Tech Gives Back but businesses that sponsor a team receive official Tech Gives Back t-shirts for their team, choice of projects, and free admission to the Tech Gives Back after party. 

Most importantly, you'll be a participant in the largest and most impactful Tech service event in the world! Interested nonprofits should reach out right away to learn how they can get involved.

Remember Guppy Tank, the half-day hackathon we brought to 10 classrooms in the Boston Public School system last year? This year, I’m excited to share that we are able to scale the program to 20 schools and 400 students this year! TUGG is partnering with our friends at Building Impact to bring this year's program to life. We are currently looking for host companies that want to host a Guppy Tank and help children learn about the opportunities that exist in our great tech ecosystem. Guppy Tank is an awesome corporate opportunity so reach to me directly at mike@tugg.org if you’d like to learn more.

Lastly, we are pumped to announce that the Tech Gives Back After Party is going to be held at this year's Entrepreneur Games on October 18th. We’re working with our friends at BUILD to provide anyone that participates in Tech Gives Back with a free spectator ticket which includes unlimited food and beverages to finish off a great week of service cheering on peers, colleagues and friends. 

Tech Gives Back is the largest corporate service day of the year in Boston; in fact, the model is so successful that cities across the US, including NYC and San Francisco, are replicating it. This year's multi-day event is going to be one for the history books so make sure your company reaches out soon for sponsorships and to book your volunteer dates and projects.

Email mike@tugg.org to get your nonprofit or company on board for Tech Gives Back.

It's great to meet you. Now let's get to work.

It’s not every day that one finds themselves in front of an opportunity that is the unique combination of three passion points. Further, those opportunities (I think) rarely reveal themselves as anything more than hobbies or at best moonlighting gigs. Lucky for me, I’ve somehow managed to find myself in the right place, at the right time, searching for the right thing.

Hello everyone; my name is Mike Cole and I am EXTREMELY pumped to introduce myself to you as the new Executive Director at TUGG.

Those three passion points I mentioned?
 

The startup and tech ecosystem.

I’ve spent my career embedded in the startup world in New York and San Francisco, working with some very cool and very socially innovative companies (Reddit, Nextdoor). The talent, passion, and vision of the tech community is jaw-droppingly inspiring. In my role at TUGG, I want to continue to harness that same passion in Boston to help our city’s most innovative nonprofits (more on this below) grow and thrive.

Social good.

I was an early-ish employee at Reddit focused on revenue. My time there ignited an eagerness to evangelize social good wherever and whenever possible. TUGG nonprofits (and nonprofits throughout the city) dedicate their livelihoods to improving the lives of Boston’s most at-risk communities, and the talent we have in Boston can accelerate the impact they have.

Raising revenues = lots of fun. Raising up people = infinitely better.

Boston.

I’ve wanted to return to Boston ever since I left. I grew up locally and it has always been a goal of mine to contribute something meaningful here. I couldn’t have asked for a more significant way to do it. I’ve lived in a lot of different places and Boston is by far the most socially conscious I’ve seen. In fact, it’s inspired my vision for TUGG’s future and how we move forward to work towards a better Boston.

You may not have known TUGG had a new Executive Director (me). This was intentional. I’ve been purposely flying under the radar to get a more unimpeded understanding of our organization, from the challenges we’ve faced to the successes we’ve accomplished and everything in between.  

What role has TUGG played in the nonprofit ecosystem these past ten years? What have we done well? Where can we do better? How has our role evolved over time and what potential is there for the future? I’ve spent the last 30 days simply trying to get a fresh perspective.

I’ve reached out to portfolio member organizations past and present to hear their stories, let them voice their opinions, and take stock of their needs. Similarly, I’ve had calls with a number of our donors and community members, asking the same questions. Again, the passion and engagement on both sides of the equation are nothing short of spectacular. Our nonprofits are passionate about the work they do and hungry for resources and volunteers to fulfill their respective missions. Our volunteer community is equally passionate about giving back and using their time, talents, and dedication to helping others succeed.

As  we move forward for the rest of 2018, why should you be excited about TUGG? A whole lot of reasons, but the first is Tech Gives Back! Save the date for Tech Gives Back, October 16-18.

Tech Gives Back is TUGG’s largest and most impactful volunteering event of the year as the Boston tech community comes together for an annual day of service. This year we’re expanding the scope of Tech Gives Back into a three-day event with new partners and projects.

Are you interested in taking part? Email me at mike@tugg.org and I’ll make sure you’re in the know.

Finally, as excited as I am about TUGG’s future and our continuously evolving role in Boston, I want to acknowledge the most important contributing factor to everything we do here: you, the TUGG community. Although I’ve only met with a small fraction of you thus far – and I look forward to meeting many more of you over the coming days, weeks, and months -  I tip my hat to all of you for the support and dedication you’ve given to TUGG all these years.

Now, let’s get to work.

Mike


*TUGG has some immediate volunteer opportunities around web design & development, graphic design, project management, and event coordination. If you or anyone that you know would like to contribute, we’d love to have you! Reach out to Mike directly at mike@tugg.org

 

Meet the 2018 Team TUGG Boston Marathon Runners

It’s that time of year again in Boston! With the days getting longer, spring is just around the corner, and that means it’s almost time for the Boston Marathon.

This year, TUGG is so lucky to have another amazing team of dedicated runners forming our 2018 Marathon Team, supporting four extremely worthy causes. Danielle Cohen, Sarah Downey, Allison MacLeod, and Julia Wilson, all members of Rev Boston, are lacing up their shoes and preparing for the big day, forming our first-ever all-female team of runners. They’re running in support of Future Chefs, Roxbury Community College Foundation, Best Buddies, and More Than Words, respectively.

To help our community get to know the runners better, we sat down with each of them and asked them to share their thoughts, fears, and biggest piece of advice for running a marathon. 

Read on to see their responses.

What's your biggest fear about Marathon Day? What's the thin you're most looking forward to about it?

Danielle: My biggest fear is that I’ll want to use the bathroom every ten minutes, but the lines for the port-o-potties will be huge. Luckily, my bathroom anxieties pale in comparison to the excitement I feel about running my first ever marathon! Seeing the crowds along the street and knowing I’m one of the thousands of crazy people commuting into Boston the hard way is the thing I’m most excited about.

Sarah: My biggest fear is that something bad and beyond my control will happen, like unseasonably hot or windy weather or a weird cramp in my legs that just shuts me down despite all the work I've put in. I'm most looking forward to crushing Heartbreak Hill. We run it almost every time we train as a group, so it's become not only familiar, but almost comforting. I know that once I get to the top, the hardest part is over and I just have to keep moving for another 6 miles.

Allison: This will be my sixth time running Boston and I am so excited to get back out there. However I haven't run a marathon in six years and have been battling a foot injury all training season, so I’m certainly feeling some anxiety around being able to finish. No matter what, I'll still get out there and do the best I can. I am most looking forward to seeing my two boys William and Lachlan along the course and at the finish line - those two little faces will definitely give me the encouragement I need!

Julia: My biggest fear is not being able to finish! I've been battling IT band and knee issues for the past couple of months, but am determined to cross the finish line. I'm most excited to see friends & family as well as the More Than Words team cheering me on. And I'd be lying if I didn't include the post-race burger and beer :)

Why are you running for the organization you chose?

Danielle: I’m running for Future Chefs because I want to support their inspired approach to preparing teens for a successful life after high school. Future Chefs uses culinary training to provide early employment, transferable skills training, and ongoing support to these teens as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. The caring staff of Future Chefs has created an environment of high expectations, growth opportunities, and positive interactions, and I am super excited to support them!

Sarah: I'm running for the Roxbury Community College (RCC) Foundation, which supports scholarships for RCC students as well as RCC Athletics at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Facility. RCC provides access to a college education consistent for students by reducing economic, social, psychological and academic barriers to educational opportunity. Education is the great equalizer and I love that RCC makes it accessible to a broader segment of society. I also competed in track at the Reggie Lewis center when I was in high school, so I have some nostalgia for it.

Allison: This year I am running for Best Buddies, an organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I participated in the Best Buddies 100 Mile Cycling Ride a few years ago so I am thrilled to be supporting this amazing organization again!

Julia: I'm running for More Than Words, an unbelievable social enterprise that empowers youth that are homeless, court involved, out of school or in the foster system by giving them a job and allowing them to take charge of a business. I've volunteered with them during my training and not only is the organization doing impactful things, the team & youth couldn't be kinder or cooler. They're expanding their space so it's awesome to run for them at such an important time.

What's your biggest piece of advice for others looking to start training for a marathon?

Danielle: Enjoy the journey.

While it’s tempting to fantasize about crossing the finish line on race day, I think it’s super important to stay focused on the training you’re doing that day and that week. Running can be tedious and boring, so find ways to make it fun. Run with other people. Appreciate the scenery. Be proud of how badass you are for running mileage that is higher than the temperature. High-five strangers. Rock out to your favorite tunes as you hit the pavement. You need to put in a lot of time to train for a marathon, so there’s no reason you can’t enjoy that time you’re spending.

Sarah: I will quote Ron Burgundy from Anchorman here: "Apparently you just run, for an extended period of time." Seriously, so much of doing a marathon is just laying down the mileage and putting in the time. You don't have to be a phenomenal athlete. You don't even have to love running. You just have to commit to following a program where you keep increasing mileage in a patient, steady, intelligent way and you listen to your body in the process and back off when you're feeling like you're overdoing it. Tactics that help me: listening to audiobooks and podcasts, tracking my strain and recovery with WHOOP, and sticking with accessory workouts like weightlifting and yoga to combat the repetitiveness of running.

Allison: Believe in yourself! Start small and challenge yourself a little bit more every day. I'm a firm believer that with the proper training, and most importantly, the right attitude and belief, you WILL finish.  Anyone can train for and run a marathon. 

Julia: Don't let anything stop you! If you want to do it, you'll find the time. There’s nothing like waking up at 5am to run 8 miles before a flight to make you feel like a total bada$$. Also, be patient, listen to your body and take care of yourself. It's literally a marathon, not a sprint.

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Each runner is currently fundraising to help support their respective organizations. Use the links below to donate to their CrowdRise pages. Every amount helps!

• Danielle Cohen

• Sarah Downey

• Allison MacLeod

• Julia Wilson

2017 TUGG By The Numbers

AN OVERVIEW OF TUGG'S 2017

2017 was another eventful year for TUGG.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, partners, supporters, and friends who helped make this past year possible. You are the very best of Boston tech. You are Technology Underwriting Greater Good.

Here's to a prosperous 2018!

Pledge 1% Boston Lights Up the Night at BostInno's 2017 50 on Fire

Pledge 1% Boston is a join initiative of TUGG and the Boston Foundation and we're proud that this movement was recognized by BostInno at their 2017 50 ON FIRE AWARDS and selected as an Inno Blazer in the Civic / Social Impact category. Let's keep this momentum going!

Civic/Social Impact Winners: BostInno looked for the game changers in our community who are making a lasting local and global impact with their work. These are the catalysts for change, socially, economically and environmentally, that are on fire this year.

• Artists for Humanity
• Hack.Diversity
• Michelle Wu: City of Boston
• Nigel Jacob and Kris Carter: Office of New Urban Mechanics
• Pledge 1% Boston (INNO BLAZER)

BostInno’s 50 on Fire honors the hottest companies, organizations and people from across a number of categories, each one operating within or around the city’s innovation economy. ... Read more

#TechGivesBack2017 Recap

1500+ VOLUNTEERS, 90+ COMPANIES @ 60+ SERVICE PROJECTS

TUGG’s Tech Gives Back day of service is made possible through the generosity of Silicon Valley Bank. The TGB Guppy Tank Pilot in partnership with Boston Public Schools was made possible thanks to The Boston Foundation and Salsify. TGB volunteer sites and Guppy Tank are powered by Building Impact.

You Got In to Give Back

Our 7th annual Tech Gives Back day of service on October 19 was one for the record books! This year we co-designed projects that required a new level of commitment of resources and skills from the tech community, from Guppy Tank, to the Hour of Code, to the Dream Journals created for youth in foster care - this was our most diverse group of meaningful projects yet.

Our team had the opportunity to visit several volunteer sites throughout the day to show our support and appreciation for the volunteers. Spirits were high and impact was huge! View photos from the day on Twitter and Facebook.

Impact

TUGG and Silicon Valley Bank made a concerted effort this year to expand the variety of volunteer projects to include issues core to the tech community, including STEM and inclusivity initiatives. We believe that offering a wide array of meaningful projects for tech professionals is a key contributor to Tech Gives Back’s substantial growth and look forward to continuing to evolve our model for this day.

Each of the projects tackled by the volunteers at Tech Gives Back had a specific objective and a larger connection to the mission of the organization. Whether it was the Fresh Pond Reservation’s Clean Drinking Water campaign, the Greater Boston Food Bank’s work in distributing fresh produce to over 140,000 adults and children in need, or Thompson Island’s program to provide over 6,500 young people in Boston the opportunity to have a hands-on outdoor STEM experience, each site that hosted volunteers credited Tech Gives Back with making their outreach possible.

Community Building

This is a day about building community across lines in our City. There is community built within teams – as one volunteer reflected when at a site working with homeless youth in Boston: “I learned so much about my colleagues today. Being onsite at this shelter has brought out a whole new dimension to the people I work with every day."

There's a lot of good in our town and our industry, and a lot of good done by Boston tech. We're glad to have a day where we can collectively give back and show just how much we can accomplish together to improve our communities.

TGB Guppy Tank Pilot Program

The most prominent example of TUGG’s new and innovative programming this year was our TGB Guppy Tank Pilot. Guppy Tank was put on in partnership with The Boston Foundation and Boston Public Schools and brought groups of sixth graders to leading tech companies for an experiential “Shark Tank”-like learning activity. The program was originally ideated, developed, and tested by Salsify to create a unique STEM learning experience for students interested in entrepreneurism and also to build meaningful employee engagement. TUGG was excited to scale Guppy Tank with the help of Building Impact to 10 new companies as a part of Tech Gives Back 2017. In addition to Salsify, Buildium, Hubspot, InsightSquared, Mendix, Rapid7, Threat Stack, Toast, Wayfair and WeWork also hosted their own Guppy Tanks.

The positive response to TGB Guppy Tank was overwhelming on both sides. In the words of one teacher: “the experience was unbelievable, not only for the students but also the entire staff. Our students shined and are so proud of themselves, as we are too.” Another teacher wrote: “The companies that our students visited had a great impact on them. Their reflections on the trip were of appreciation and inspiration. Thank you for the exposure and immersion that Guppy Tank allowed our students. Many said that they would never forget it!”

We believe the volunteers won’t forget this day either and multiple companies have stated that this day was just as impactful for their employees as it was on the students. Thank you to all of the tech volunteers for making this day possible - with community building as a focus and for inspiring so many young minds.

Thank You

It truly takes a village to organize this day. Thank you, Silicon Valley Bank, for making our 7th annual Tech Gives Back day of service possible! Thank you to The Boston Foundation and Salsify for bringing Guppy Tank to TUGG and helping it come to life at scale. To all of our sponsoring companies for leading by example. And Building Impact for powering the day!

Your Next Volunteer Opportunity

Are your ready to get in to give back this holiday season? Join us on December 19 for TUGG for the Holidays in support of the Salvation Army's Christmas Castle. Register here.

Autumn Volunteer Opportunities with the TUGGfolio

As the summer winds down and autumn is fast approaching, it's not too late to get involved with a TUGG portfolio nonprofit. Volunteering your time is an easy way to give back and make a BIG impact for many of our startup nonprofits.

Check out the list below to see what volunteer or mentoring opportunity is best for you to get roped in to give back today!

TUGG Nonprofit Volunteer Opportunities

BUILD Boston Mentoring Opportunities
 

Connect. Engage. Empower. Invest in Boston's future by mentoring a team of high school entrepreneurs! 

Interested? Learn more now!

Questions? Contact: kquigleymellor@build.org

ICW Summer Workout Series

While not a volunteer opportunity in the true sense, ICW is hosting their Summer Workout Series beginning next week! Come join ICW students, staff and coaches for 4 fun and free workouts outside on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Get into great shape and learn about an amazing organization at the same time. Sign up and for exact dates, times and location here.

Resilient Coders Volunteer Task Force

Resilient Coders is seeking creating and innovative volunteers to join one of three new volunteer task forces, which include Mentorship, Content Production, and Talent Placement. We know you have what it takes - get in touch!

Interested? Learn more.

Questions? Contact: leon@resilientcoders.org

Science From Scientists Kit Volunteer

Science From Scientists does a lot of behind the scenes work to make sure that they are delivering the most high-quality, exciting lessons to their students; they are constantly replenishing the materials they use when they teach, and have to repair or recreate any broken materials when necessary. We would be delighted to have your help with these important tasks! Learn more now!

Interested? Learn more about Science From Scientists.

Questions? Contact: kits@sciencefromscienitists.org

Multiple Opportunities at SWOB

Sitters Without Borders has multiple opportunities to get involved with the organization:

Board Service Opportunity: SWOB is recruiting new board members who are passionate about what Sitters Without Borders (SWOB) does, willing to commit time and energy to strengthen and sustain the organization, and embrace board service as a serious commitment to the community.  Apply now!

Sitter: SWOB is currently recruiting volunteers with experience to train with them, and provide free weekly childcare for a Family around Greater Boston, while moms are in college classes. Have fun watching a child, while enabling the parent to reach their educational goals and enhance their economic independence! 

Operations Intern: SWOB's Operations Intern will learn immensely and gain experience with the inner workings of a client-services nonprofit organization. This person will have many opportunities to affect the organization's strategies and protocols, as well as to work with the Board of Directors and the Operations Committee. 

Fundraising Intern: The Fundraising intern will work closely with the board's development committee, focusing on fundraising activities. Some background and/or experience in fundraising for a group, organization, program, etc. is preferred. The position may include grant writing.

Social Media Intern: The Social Media Intern's responsibilities include creating content, posting, tracking, reviewing, researching, potential relationship building. Additional social media related responsibilities will apply depending on needs.

Development Intern: The Development intern will learn a great deal about developing a business/organization, developing strategies and protocols for SWOB. The intern will also work closely with the board's development committee on exciting projects related to growing the organization.

Hours are flexible for all internships and depending on performance. Work is mainly remote except for occasional events. This is a volunteer internship position

Interested in these positions? Learn more about Sitters Without Borders.

Questions? Contact: kelly.ferguson@sitterswithoutborders.com

Tech Goes Home Social Media Maven

TGH is looking for a brilliant communicator to be their champion and help tell their story. This person will serve as the primary voice of the organization on social media, especially Facebook and Twitter. They will help TGH engage with partners, build our support base, and convey our impact through stats and stories. 

Interested? Learn more about TGH.

Questions? Contact: theo@techgoeshome.org

 

Tech Gives Back

October 19, 2017

Save the date because TUGG's annual citywide day of service, Tech Gives Back, is happening on October 19th! General registration opens next week, but if you have a team of 10 or more and would like to show your community leadership and become a sponsor, please let us know!
Interested? Contact: events@tugg.org

Recap: Tech Night at the Museum 2017

Tech + Social Innovation Meet Art

TUGG’s Tech Night at the Museum was a resounding hit for a second year in a row, despite the downpour over the Seaport neighborhood, drawing 200+ attendees from companies across the Greater Boston’s  tech community to the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, who generously allowed a bunch of techies to take over their museum for the night. The event, sponsored by Invaluable with support from Cuseum and TUGG’s Annual Partners, overlooked the harbor where everyone gathered to mingle, enjoy great food and drinks, admire the art on display, and of course learn about social innovation from TUGG’s portfolio nonprofits.

View event photos here!

The Pitches

TUGGfolio members Mbadika, Media Girls, Resilient Coders, and Transformative Culture Project (TCP) each gave a one minute pitch to the packed crowd about their organization’s mission and all they’ve accomplished. Netia from Mbadika opened, telling how her organization helps fosters interest in STEM, hardware and engineering for youth in Roxbury and abroad . Angela from Media Girls followed with how her organization teaches girls and young women to discover their self-worth, and use social media to speak up for their beliefs. David from Resilient Coders was next, whose organization educates underprivileged young adults how to code and helps them find employment to put their new skills to use. Finally, Reggie from Transformative Culture Project rounded out the presentation by telling the audience about how his organization creates new opportunities for young creators to build economic and social power through their art and craft.

Museum Exploration + Nonprofit Engagement

After the pitches our attentive audience took to the museum! Each nonprofit was responsible for hosting a different activity throughout the museum, and attendees were then tasked to join at least two in order to be entered for a chance to win an associate membership for two to the ICA, in addition to a case of wine from Ninety + Cellars.

Activities included a tour of Nari Ward’s Sun Splashed exhibit with TCP, a brown paper bag design thinking challenge from Mbadika, a talk with one of Resilient Coders’ most active students, and an activity about self reflection with Media Girls.

Throughout the evening, museumgoers were encouraged to snap some pictures of the sights and exhibits and to tweet about their favorite parts, with the best posts winning two free tickets to one of the ICA’s newest exhibits. You can view the winning Instagram post here, and the best tweet here.

Thank You

We are incredibly thankful to Invaluable for joining our community as a lead sponsor for this event!

"As the world’s leading online marketplace for fine art, antiques and collectibles, Invaluable’s team has a passion for both art and technology, making Tech Night at the Museum a perfect fit for us,” said O’Neal Rowe, Invaluable CMO. “Operating at the intersection of art and tech, Invaluable’s technology allows users to place bids in real-time via our app or website on incredible works of art being offered during live auctions, helping connect people with the things they love. This event is a great opportunity for us to engage with those in Boston’s tech community who also have a passion for the arts, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with TUGG on this event.” 

Additional thanks to Cuseum, who powers the ICA’s app, for supporting Tech Night the Museum for a second year in a row  and TUGG’s annual partners for their continued support of TUGG’s mission. We couldn’t have done it without all of your help!

If you loved visiting the ICA now, you should mark your calendar for their Art in the Age of the Internet exhibition coming up in February!

We’re already looking forward to Tech Night at the Museum 2018. In the meantime we’ll see you at Tech Gives Back 2017!

How to Support TUGG with AmazonSmile

Think of how much time and money you spend shopping online... it's a lot right? Chances are you’re doing the bulk of your shopping on Amazon, and with so much money going from your wallet into Amazon’s bank account, think of the impact you could have if a portion of that went towards your favorite charity.

Enter AmazonSmile!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support TUGG (Technology Underwriting Greater Good) every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate .5% of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.

How does it work?

Every item available for purchase on amazon.com is also available on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) at the same price. You will see eligible products marked "Eligible for AmazonSmile donation" on their product detail pages.

Sign Up For AmazonSmile & Select TUGG as Your
Organization of Choice!

Step 1.  Navigate to smile.amazon.com and log in if you aren’t already.

Step 2.  Pick your charity. You’ll be taken to a screen where you can choose from some spotlight charities, or pick your own by searching for it.

Search for TUGG in the search box and select enter.

You’ll then be taken to a screen with your search results. Make sure to select TUGG Corp based in Cambridge, MA.

Step 3. Confirm. After selecting TUGG Corp, you’ll be asked to confirm you understand you must always shop on smile.amazon.com in order to support TUGG. Fill out your name and select ‘Start Shopping’.

Step 4. Start Shopping! You’ll be redirected back to the homepage, where you’ll now see “Supporting: TUGG Corp” in the upper left hand corner right below the search bar.

When shopping for items, you’ll be able to tell which purchases are eligible for a donation when it says “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation.”

And that’s it! Amazon will now donate .5% of every eligible purchase to TUGG! Thank you for supporting innovation in your community by (Amazon) smiling with TUGG :)

Summer Volunteer Opportunities with the TUGGfolio

Thinking about your summer plans? Don't forget to figure into the equation volunteering with your favorite TUGG portfolio nonprofit.

By giving a little bit of time, you can make a BIG difference for many of our startup nonprofits. Check out the list below to see what volunteer or mentoring opportunity is best for you and get-in-to-give-back today!

TUGG Nonprofit Volunteer Opportunities

Train with a Student Trainer at ICW!

Although not volunteering in the traditional sense, signing up for personal training at ICW (InnerCity Weightlifting) is a great way to give back to your community while getting into amazing shape at the same time! By working out at ICW you help carry out their mission of increasing economic mobility and bridging social capital to our city's most at risk youth.

Interested? Learn more.

Contact: joshf@innercityweightlifting.org

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MEDIA GIRLS Graphic Design Volunteer

MEDIA GIRLS is seeking a talented graphic designer to donate their time and skills to help them create professional marketing materials that they can distribute at community events. At the startup stage, spreading awareness is everything - your work will go a long way in helping them spread the word about their mission. 

Interested? Learn more about MEDIA GIRLS.

Contact: michelle@mediagirls.org

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Resilient Coders Volunteer Corps

Resilient Coders is seeking creating and innovative volunteers to join one of three new volunteer task forces, which include Mentorship, Content Production, and Talent Placement. We know you have what it takes - get in touch!

Interested? Learn more.

Questions? Contact: david@resilientcoders.org

Science Club for Girls Young Leaders in STEM summer program

We have a need for a small group of volunteers (3-5 people) to commit to one week this summer to help develop and run a summer program for our teen girl participants. The program is called Young Leaders in STEM (YLS) and we partner with the Cambridge Mayor's summer youth employment program. 

Interested? Learn more.

Contact: acheng@scienceclubforgirls.org

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Tech Goes Home Course Volunteer

TGH is looking for Course Volunteers. These volunteers enhance program quality in three key ways: 1) break down language barriers between trainers and participants as in-class translators, 2) help trainers explain tech concepts to new Internet users as classroom assistants, and 3) present lessons as TGH Small Business guest lecturers, sharing their expertise on topics such as financial management, social media marketing, project management, and more. 

Interested? Learn more.

Questions? Contact: qj@techgoeshome.org

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Y2Y Shelter Volunteer

Y2Y's pilot summer shelter for young adults will offer two kinds of volunteer positions in Harvard Square: 1) regular weekly shifts, in which you commit to one shift a week (i.e. Monday dinner) and are responsible for that shift for the entirety of the summer season, 2) irregular signups, where you signup for as many or as few shifts that work for you over the summer. 

Interested? Learn more. 

Questions? Contact: info@y2yharvardsquare.org

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Tech Community Volunteer Opportunities

TUGG It Forward: Afternoon of Service on the Esplanade

Join TUGG and our friends from Boston tech for an afternoon of service along the beautiful Emerald Necklace with the Esplanade Association! Volunteers will likely be doing a combination of raking leaves, cleaning up trash, and possibly painting benches or removing invasive plants and vegetation. 

Interested? Register now!

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Website Hackathon Benefitting Local Nonprofits

Nonprofits spend all of their time doing good, but not always looking good. Imagine how much good they could do if they looked good as well? Marketers, designers and developers, how powerful an opportunity to use your professional skills use to help nonprofits grow? 

These are the ideas that led to the creation of 48in48 and we need your help to impact the local community of nonprofit organizations in your local area.

Interested? Learn more. 

Questions? Contact: gina@48in48.org

TUGG Makes Boston Recap

Sold Out TUGG Makes Boston, Brought Out the Best in Boston Tech!

On March 23 we celebrated our sold-out 11th Annual Wine & Tequila Party under a new name, TUGG Makes Boston!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support social innovation and party for good with us at the Innovation and Design Building! At every Wine & Tequila Party we're reminded that this event is so much more than a party! It's about the remarkable impact our community can have in just one night when we come together to catalyze greater good.

No other event in Boston tech can bring together such a diverse group of industries, networks, and people, and we believe it’s largely due to this incredible synergy that’s made possible by all of our outstanding partners and supporters on both sides of the non-profit and for-profit table. 

Read more about it on VentureFizz and get BostInno's take on the event here.

Who run the world? Media Girls!

Congrats to our new nonprofit winner: Media Girls! Media Girls is a program that shows girls and young women how to use social media to share their authentic selves, post positive content, develop their critical thinking, and take a stand on meaningful issues.

“Being part of the TUGG event was extraordinary even beyond winning the $50K grant. It was receiving a masterclass in the craft of pitching from top experts who were truly invested in us. After taking part in this experience, our whole team feels confident in sharing what we do in a concise way in any type of situation. That is a skill we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.”

— Michelle Cove, Founder & Executive Director, Media Girls

5-Time Winners: Resilient Coders

Congratulations to Resilient Coders on their 5th consecutive win! 

Resilient Coders is a free, volunteer-based program focused on making web technology more available to kids who might not otherwise be exposed to it. Each student builds a website, coached along by a web professional.

“Last night’s win allows us to support more stipends and seriously grow the Lab. We will also be launching a new Dev Ops track later this year. But what’s amazing to us about TUGG is the community.”

— David Delmar, Founder Resilient Coders

A huge congratulations to all 6 of TUGG's nonprofits, new and returning, who pitched their hearts out. We know it's tough and you all stood your own! We're proud to have you all in our portfolio - First Teacher, Mbadika, Media Girls, Resilient Coders, Tech Goes Home and We Thrive!

TAG YOURSELF!

We have some awesome photos of you all! Check them out below and get tagging. There are some gems in here!

Photo booth photos by Sharingbox

NEW TO TUGG?

If you're new to our community follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page to stay up to date with upcoming tech events and ways to get involved with our innovative nonprofits.

THANK YOU

Take a minute browse through these companies below that have stepped up and placed community as a priority for their culture. They and their employees represent the very best of tech. Without them, there would be no TUGG.

Brought to You By Sponsors

Featuring Sponsors

Announcing TUGG's New and Returning 2017 Nonprofits

The 6 Most Innovative Social Enterprises Competing for $50k at TUGG Makes Boston

TUGG Makes Boston, the 11th Annual Wine & Tequila Party is much more than a party, it's the largest grant writing opportunity for the most innovative social enterprises in Boston! 

On March 23 the following six organizations will compete for the chance to win $50k in grant funding. You will select the winner! 

Take a minute to get to know and welcome (on twitter), TUGG's incoming nonprofits.

2017 New Portfolio Nonprofits

Mbadika provides hardware and engineering workshops for under-resourced youth to inspire young innovators. Learn more about Mbadika.  
@Mbadika

Media Girls teaches girls to critique how they're portrayed in the media, re-envision new possibilities, and create their own empowering content. Learn more about Media Girls. 
 @MediaGirlsOrg

Tech Goes Home is an initiative that brings digital access and basic technology training to underserved families as an entryway to the digital age. Learn more about Tech Goes Home.
@TechGoesHome

 

2017 Returning Portfolio Nonprofits

First Teacher is a community of parents and caregivers working together to prepare all our children for kindergarten and beyond. Learn more about First Teacher.
@FirstTeacherBos

Resilient Coders spreads code literacy to young people from traditionally underserved communities. Learn more about Resilient Coders.
@resilientcoders

WeThrive is an entrepreneurial mentoring program that pairs college students with underserved middle school and high school students. Learn more about WeThrive.
@WeThrive_

Support Social Innovation in Boston!
TUGG Makes Boston Tickets are on sale now!

Now that you know who your TUGG Makes Boston ticket is helping support, we hope you'll join us on March 23 in celebration and support of social innovation in your community. Your vote will decide who leaves with $50k in grant funding to catalyze their organization!

REGISTER NOW

$100/person Ticket price includes open bar, food, some special surprises, and the opportunity to fund someone's dream!