NASCIO Members and Conference Attendees Give Back to Baltimore, Host City of the 2018 Midyear Conference
Total donation of $11,011 provided to local Baltimore organization
LEXINGTON, Ky., Monday, May 7, 2018 – The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) provided a $11,011 donation to the Digital Harbor Foundation (DHF), a Baltimore organization dedicated to fostering learning, creativity, productivity and community through education. Donations were collected during the NASCIO Midyear Conference in Baltimore through the Give Back program to thank the host community. NASCIO state, corporate and nonprofit members donated $5,011 through individual contributions and NASCIO provide a $3,000 donation. In addition to funds raised from individual attendees, NASCIO member CompTIA SLED Council gave a kickoff gift of $3,000.
DHF uses technology and career-readiness education to help youth, especially girls, minorities, and youth from low-income backgrounds, become productive, economically sustainable adults that give back to their communities. NASCIO Give Back will specifically fund DHF's Summer Maker Camps, which teach skills in high-growth technologies including 3D printing, electronics, web design and programming. All camps are offered on a pay-what-you-can model, so financial considerations are never a barrier for participation.
"In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to create with technology is an essential skill for youth to have," said Andrew Coy, executive director of the Digital Harbor Foundation. "But, more than teaching any one skill, in DHF programs youth learn how to learn, to iterate, and not to be afraid of failure. These skills and traits will follow youth in their careers, personal lives and wherever their futures take them."
"DHF's pay-what-you-can model for our youth programs lies at the core of our values – to be open for any young person who wants to join in," said Adena Moulton, Development Manager at DHF. "NASCIO's generous donation will help ensure Baltimore youth have access to our Summer Maker Camps, no matter their background, previous experience or family income. In addition, the opportunity to engage with technology leaders from across the country inspired the kids' vision of the kinds of contributions they are already making to the tech world at large, and the sort of potential they have for the future. They are the best evidence we can offer of the impact a program like this can have."
To learn more about the Digital Harbor Foundation, visit www.digitalharbor.org.
