[Sydney, AUSTRALIA] IBM, Compaq, Dell, Com Tech, Cisco and others have joined a charity
initiative called Putting IT
Back– a fund to help children’s charities the Starlight Children9s
Foundation and Giant Steps.
On November 17, employees and the general IT community will be
asked to contribute money from a few dollars to a day’s pay. The initiative
will involve the staff of IT companies including Com Tech Communications,
IBM, Compaq, Optus, Cisco and Dell. Other participating companies to date
include NEC/Packard Bell, Lucent, Lotus, MYOB, f2, Citrix, Powerlan,
Volante, eSign, Sun, Professional Advantage, Davnet, Austar Pay TV, Web
Methods, Quicken and eCorp.
The Australian Information Industry Association is also involved in the
project. Rob Durie, executive director of AIIA said “We will be actively
encouraging our members to participate and will be initiating a range of
activities to help ensure the success of the fund.”
David Shein, chairman of Com Tech Communications, initiated the fund. “This
is an opportunity for the IT community to rally together and support those
less fortunate. We see this as a chance for the industry to give back to the
community in a very real and positive way,” Shein said.
The goal for the IT fund is to raise AUS $250,000. Organizers expect
this target to be easily exceeded.
Jill Weekes, CEO, Starlight Children9s Foundation said 440 children are
currently waiting for wishes to be granted. Most wishes involve either
meeting a celebrity or receiving a computer, or a simple family holiday. The
average cost of a wish is $4,000. The funds raised will go toward granting
wishes, the Starlight Express Rooms, located in children9s hospitals around
the country, Starlight Fun Centers equipped with bedside entertainment for
kids, mobile Express Rooms that visit country and regional hospitals and
Giant Steps programs. Participants’ tax-deductible donations will be
directly debited from their payroll and they will receive feedback on how
their money is being utilized.