Tech Gives Back Grows for 4th Straight Year to More Than 2,000 Volunteers

(DataXu at Tech Gives Back 2013)

Members of Boston's tech community will be stepping back from their respective desks on Wednesday, September 10, to give back to the city that gives to them.

The Fourth Annual Tech Gives Back is now two weeks away. Hosted by Technology Underwriting Greater Good, the event disperses more than 2,000 entrepreneurs and investors to 50 volunteer sites throughout Greater Boston to complete a combined 10,000 hours of community service. The projects range from sprucing up a school playground in Roxbury to lending a helping hand at a women's homeless shelter in Somerville.

"With two weeks left, we have already registered more people than last year with no sign of slowing down," said David Brown, executive director of TUGG, in an email to BostInno. "It's amazing to see the enthusiastic response from our community for this event and that this enthusiasm, in its infectiousness, keeps growing year over year."

This year, Silicon Valley Bank has partnered with TUGG to make the service component of the day, held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., free for all startups. Following the volunteering, a block party will kick off at the Lawn on D, Boston's newest innovative public park, featuring free food, drink and live music.

The block party is open to the entire community, not just those who volunteered, and will put a spotlight on seven youth nonprofits: CareerVillage, HSHS Youth Housing Initiative, NBA Math Hoops, Resilient Coders, Catie's Closet, InnerCity Weightlifting and Science and Scientists. Each will be on hand to share their story and, true to TUGG's open-source philanthropy model, the community will be responsible for voting on their favorite. Nearly $150,000 in funds will be allocated accordingly.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh have officially named September 10th "Tech Gives Back Day," according to Brown, in recognition of the work the startup community is doing. With that, Brown said he hopes TUGG can catalyze a movement within the community.

"Tech Gives Back is a launching point for startups to get more engaged with the amazing nonprofits we have in Boston, whether as leaders, as partners, as connectors or otherwise," Brown explained. "TUGG is here to help young entrepreneurs figure out how they can change the world and give them the resources and connections to do that."

In just two years, Tech Gives Back has grown from 500 to 2,000 people, and gone from raising $125,000 to over $300,000. What's more, "this is just the start."

"We have such a powerful community," Brown added. "Over 50 companies have pitched in this year as sponsors — many of them still just startups — which says a ton about the future of Boston."

Here's a look at the list of those companies: