Part of the mission driving the Human Services Information Technology Advisory Group (HSITAG) is to give back to those organizations focused on helping others. Every year, as part of CompTIA’s overall charitable giving, HSITAG is provided $10,000 to fund a charity of its choosing. So, we established our Charitable Giving Committee to research and identify nonprofit organizations that could benefit from these financial donations.
How it Works: The Charitable Giving Committee kicks off the year by brainstorming a list of nonprofit candidates to potentially receive our allotted donation. We look for 501(c)(3) organizations that are aligned to health and human services and, if possible, technology. Committee members investigate and present candidate organizations, and the committee discusses their missions and how they benefit their specific communities. In previous years, we have been thrilled to donate to Foster Care to Success (https://www.fc2success.org/), Girls Who Code (https://girlswhocode.com/), and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (http://www.missingkids.com/).
Our Selected 2019 Charities: This year, we have opted to split the $10,000 between two charities: Once again, we will donate $5,000 to National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and we’ve selected the Fisher House Foundation (https://www.fisherhouse.org/) for another $5,000. Fisher House Foundation supports veteran and military families who are facing critical illnesses. What a great way to thank these families for their service!
More than Financial Contributions: The Charitable Giving Committee not only manages the financial contributions to charitable organizations but also plans hands-on events that support those in need. Last year, we created “Hope Bags” for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. These donated bags were filled with basic necessities, such as toiletries, a change of clothes and shoes, and snacks, which were then given to child victims of sex trafficking.
Our hands-on event this year will be held on Wednesday, July 17, from 5 pm until 8 pm, in Washington, DC. We will be providing dinner and a game night at the D.C. Fisher House. We scheduled this event on the evening before our July HSITAG meeting, so please join us! It will be a great way to serve those families who serve our country. More details to follow soon!