Software Charity?

[Renegade]

Does anyone know of a kind of charity where software developers can donate licenses?

I was just thinking about ways that I can help others, and that was one of them.

Giving money directly is often hard, but quite often we can donate some of the products of our labor, and, so, well, that was the thought.

[joiwind]

Very nice thought renegade - but I don't know of any such charities ...

[daddydave]

First thought, not knowing what type of software you mean, are there charities that will instantly realize they need your software or is this a bit of a "coincidence of wants" problem? You may need to spend some time talking to a favorite charity to either do a little "marketing" (even though..) or find out what they need and then write new software accordingly that they and similar charities can use.

Not that I have any expertise in this area, I'm just trying to flesh out the question a little more.

[app103]

You might try contacting a charity that refurbishes used computers for distribution to low income families or inner city schools and find out what kind of stuff they need. If you can help them out, that might be the way to go.

[Gwen7]

some of what you do could work well with something like this: www.gngnca.org

why not see if there is something like Guitars Not Guns where you are. it's always best to start local when it comes to charity giving and branch out from there. :-)

[cthorpe]

With your software in mind, I would look at schools and community groups that offer music programs for youths.  I would also consider churches if that kind of thing is agreeable to you.

[Renegade]

To be perfectly honest, I just don't have the time to run around trying to find XYZ and needs software ABC.

So, the basic question is, is there already some kind of charity organization that does all the running around?

It doesn't sound like there is... Oh well...

[4wd]

There's one on ebay called gamesaid who donate all money from sales to charity - I've previously bought games from them.

Normally they auction off games related items received from distributors, etc but you could ask them if they're willing to accept license only donations to auction, (they have a couple of Blackberry covers on there also atm).

[Renegade]

There's one on ebay called gamesaid who donate all money from sales to charity - I've previously bought games from them.

Normally they auction off games related items received from distributors, etc but you could ask them if they're willing to accept license only donations to auction, (they have a couple of Blackberry covers on there also atm).

-4wd (May 30, 2012, 01:36 AM)

Not so sure about that... A charity on eBay? Hmmm...

[4wd]

Not so sure about that... A charity on eBay? Hmmm...

-Renegade (May 30, 2012, 02:34 AM)

I've bought books from a charity on ebay, (they were in the UK), as I was going to be in the UK in a month or two they put it aside and I collected it - turned out to be a large Oxfam/Salvation type charity.

So yes, they do exist on ebay

[Gwen7]

To be perfectly honest, I just don't have the time to run around trying to find XYZ and needs software ABC.

So, the basic question is, is there already some kind of charity organization that does all the running around?

It doesn't sound like there is... Oh well...

-Renegade (May 30, 2012, 01:09 AM)

i do a lot of work with charities and causes. so I hear from and meet a lot of people like you who legitimately want to do some good - but remain personally uninvolved for whatever reason. it's almost like a variation of noblesse oblige where somehow sending off a fat check is all that is needed to make a difference. well guess what? it's suboptimal. and charities that are primarily interested in getting contributions or donations without involving the donors (usually the really big ones) aren't always the best groups to get involved with. wish it were otherwise. but it's not. :-)

[wraith808]

Considering your software in particular, Renegade, you might definitely want to check which local schools have a music program.  I think there's definitely a synergy there, though you'd have to do a bit of leg/phone/email- work.