We all know the standard breakup line: “It’s not you; it’s me.” And we all know what that means: The problem is absolutely, 100% you.

For all the stereotypes surrounding Silicon Valley, there is one that reaches far beyond those companies situated in California’s tech corridor: the tech community is bad at giving back.

uBack just made it easier for corporations and donors to support their favorite nonprofits. Through our partnership with Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, we added hundreds of thousands of new nonprofits across the United States to our mobile giving platform.

Speaking at a Techweek’s Growth Summit, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel aptly summed up the Chicago tech scene saying, “Silicon Valley and New York City have technology industries, in Chicago we have a tech community.” There is no better example of Chicago’s community than the Techweek Gives campaign sponsored by Walker Sands Communications and DLA Piper. Over the course of 90 days, 37 tech companies came together to raise $1.6 million dollars and volunteer over 11,000 hours.

Content courtesy of Walker Sands Communications, a Techweek Gives sponsor organization.  

Techweek Gives is coming to an end, but the opportunities to support your community don’t have to. We had a number of generous competitors this year who donated their time, money and goods to organizations in need – and the giving shouldn’t stop there. Here are three easy ways to continue giving year-round:

Photo Courtesy of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois from their Lumity One Day Innovation Challenge.

As we close out our last week in the Techweek Gives campaign, we are taking a moment to truly reflect on all the amazing moments, service projects and community that this 90 days of giving brought to our tech ecosystem here in Chicago. We are particularly  grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with so many organizations and companies who are committed to doing so much good locally, not just over 90 days, but truly every single day to make our city better.

Content Provided by Claire Podulka Project Manager at Table XI - Participating company in the Techweek Gives Campaign.

As part of the 2017 Techweek Gives campaign, Table XI was pleased to welcome 20 students from Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy in Chicago on June 2 to talk about what it’s like to work in tech and how all kinds of career paths can lead to tech jobs.

Some days during this journey are special.

Photo Credit: National Safety Council

Content courtesy of Walker Sands Communications, a Techweek Gives sponsor organization. 

Every June, safety really does come first.

Encourage your staff to celebrate the remaining few weeks of National Safety Month by taking time to protect themselves and others. Fresh out of volunteer ideas? Give the following three tips a try. From supporting local nonprofits to getting educated on health and safety, they can help you keep others safe and climb the Techweek Gives leaderboard.

Content courtesy of Walker Sands Communications, a Techweek Gives sponsor organization.  

It’s June and that means summer is in full swing! If you’re like us, then you’ve probably got that summer itch and can’t wait to head outside for some fun in the sun. And with so much to do, we thought we’d look at a few popular summer activities that also serve as great opportunities to give back.