Technology and Social Transformation: The Story Behind CCCs 2016 Charitable Contributions

Chicago, IL, April 29, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Earlier this year, the Chicago Coder Conference (CCC) Board of Directors came to a consensus on the charities that are to receive 2016 donations given by the conference. CCC has committed to giving a portion of excess funds provided by sponsors to different charities each year. The remaining portion will be applied directly into putting on the conference. CCC’s commitment to the technology community has fueled the charitable component of the conference.

CCC volunteer CFO Tom Cumbo was asked how the charitable component began and how supporting these two charities ties in with the mission of the conference.

The great thing about supporting Opportunity International and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana (RMHC-CNI) is that not only will donations be given to these two charities, but the organizations themselves will play an active role in the conference.

Tom Cumbo, Volunteer, CFO

Tom Cumbo:  “We always had a rule from day one that the conference was to be run in a certain way and the idea of contributing to charities has been around since the inception of the conference. Last year CCC donated to The Academy for Global Citizenship. In the past year the conference has really grown. All of the volunteers in the organization’s leadership group felt strongly about expanding the charitable component, which was central to the conference’s mission in previous years. Our goal this year is to target giving 20% of conference funds raised to RMHC-CNI and Opportunity International. 2016 is our largest year yet and we are hoping to reach this mark.”

Chicago has become a major nexus for technology and CCC’s mission is to help support and promote the Chicago area technology community. Community is the key word here. The need for technologists in our world is only increasing and building communities and empowering people is a primary objective for CCC. Through their individual missions, RMHC-CNI and Opportunity International also broadly support CCC’s community building and people empowerment objectives.

RMHC-CNI and Opportunity International will have a welcome presence at the Chicago Coder Conference and these two charities will be given the opportunity to recruit committed individuals that can potentially offer not only time but a technical skill set to these organizations that impact so many lives locally and worldwide.

About Opportunity International

Opportunity International is a global non-profit organization that helps people in developing nations break the cycle of poverty, transform their lives, and strengthen their families and communities. The organization provides loans, savings accounts, insurance and business training to more than 14 million clients in 24 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Clients use the funds and services to launch and expand business, support their families, plan for the future and create jobs in their communities. Programs also help school proprietors build high-quality and affordable schools to expand and improve education; help families pay school fees and buy uniforms, books and other supplies to keep their children in the classroom; expand the availability of digital banking to provide financial services to people living in even the most remote areas of the world; empower women to become leaders and agents of change in their communities; provide agricultural loans and training to help smallholder farmers increase the quality and yield of their crops to feed more people and boost their income; provide clean water along with health, sanitation and energy services to boost communities and enhance the quality of life for residents. The organization has set a goal of helping clients create and sustain 20 million jobs by 2020, impacting 100 million lives worldwide. As of the end of 2015, 15.8 million jobs have already been created. Discover more at www.opportunity.org.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana

RMHC-CNI is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to care for families of children with complex medical needs by providing a ‘home away from home’ while their child is being treated in the hospital. Each night, 153 families heal together because of the comfort, compassion and community at five area Ronald McDonald Houses® and three Ronald McDonald Family Rooms®. Allowing families to stay close to their child in the hospital, not only helps the child to heal faster, but saves our families over $10 million in hotel and food costs each year. We are located near Advocate Children's Hospital, Loyola University Medical Center, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Edward Hospital in Naperville and Central DuPage Hospital. RMHC-CNI also operates a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® which provides medical care to children in underserved areas as well as a Scholarship Program for local college students. To support RMHC-CNI’s mission, visit any Chicagoland or Northwest Indiana McDonald’s restaurant and drop your spare change in a donation box near the front register or in the drive thru. RMHC-CNI is an approved BBB Accredited Business and holds a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator. For more information visit www.RonaldHouseChicago.org. Stay connected - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram.

About Chicago Coder Conference

The 2016 Chicago Coder Conference promises something for every developer featuring advanced topics along with more accessible content from renowned local and national industry experts. Attendees of the conference will have many opportunities to interact with peers, industry experts and great Chicago area company representatives. The Chicago Coder Conference is in its third year. The 2014 conference started as a one day event with two tracks and grew in 2015 to a one and a half day event with 5 tracks. As in past years, members of Illinois and Chicago area user groups will team up to deliver excellent presentations of high value. For more information or to register please visit http://chicagocoderconference.com/

Source: Chicago Coder Conference