How Can Techies Give Back?

KReilly asks: "As the school year starts back up for me, I have been looking for a volunteer program I could work in. This year I have been considering creating my own non-profit organization, but I still lack a clear picture of what I hope to accomplish. I have read about communities wiring classrooms for the internet in California, and repairing computers donated by businesses for schools. I would like to do this, but find many schools and libraries would deny this donation since its maintenance would be too big of an investment for them and they do not want to experiment with Open Source alternatives that would lower the PC repair cost. So my question to you is how do you, as a tech, give back to society and aid in social programs? And, any information/advice you wanted to share on my original idea would be much appreciated."

Comments

Lots of things

[Dancin_Santa]

Help in a gubernatorial election campaign.

Volunteer at the soup kitchen.

Donate unused stuff to Goodwill.

Offer your time to the old-folks home.

Pick up litter in your neighborhood.

Give money to the Salvation Army.

Offer to read to children in the hospital.

Drop a few dimes into a homeless person's cup.

Buy a couple dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for your coworkers.

Start a community watch program in your neighborhood.

There are so many things you can do that do not necessarily require technology. These things are easier to give and easier to receive because people in need do not always have the means to support technological donations. It's the human touch that is important in charity.

Are you patient?

[doc_traig]

If you are, go to a retirement community and teach seniors how to use computers to access the Internet (mail and web). You will be bowled over by how thankful they are and how excited it makes some of them.