IT Community Gifts Help U.S. Veterans, Protect Children Online

The Fourth of July holiday seemed perfect timing for a recent gift by our member communities.

The IT Business Growth Professionals Community, one of 10 communities within the CompTIA membership, made a $5,000 gift to Veterans Inc. which helps veterans improve their lives in the areas of housing, employment and health.

“This is an opportunity to say thank you to those who have served,” said Ken Thoreson, chair of the ITBGP Community and president of Acumen Management Group in Tennessee. “We were excited and proud that CompTIA gave us the opportunity to select this charity.”

We’re showing our commitment to philanthropy by distributing $50,000 to charities through our member communities. The gifts are being made in the weeks leading up to CompTIA’s largest annual event, Breakaway, in Washington, D.C., held Aug. 1-4, 2011.

Internet safety for young people was at the center of one community’s concern. Canada’s IT Services & Support Community chose the Toronto-based Kids’ Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA) for its $5,000 gift.

“Nonprofits like KINSA make the Internet a safe place for our children to play, learn and grow,” said Gordon Pelosse, chair of the Canadian ITSS Community and director of technical support delivery for HP / Canada. “We believe by helping to fund and raise awareness, we can help protect children from online exploitation.”

Another community, the Managed Print Services Community led by chairman Greg VanDeWalker, directed its gift to Techcorps. Based in Columbus, Ohio, since 1995 Techcorps has provided opportunities for more than 10,000 volunteers to assist students in grades K-12 around the United States to become technologically adept.

Jim Hamilton, VP of member communities for CompTIA, said the various communities have embraced the giving program whole-heartedly.

“This effort is something the community can get behind and champion,” said Hamilton. “We wanted it to provide an example for how others in IT can get involved.”

Interested in getting your company involved in IT philanthropy? Contact the CompTIA Educational Foundation on how you can make a difference.

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