Can Nerds Help Nonprofits? Sierra Bravo Shows Nonprofit Conversation How

    COLUMBIA, MD, February 09, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A Twin Cities technology company, Sierra Bravo, announced the winners of its contest, The Overnight Website Challenge to Nonprofit Conversation this week. The Overnight Website Challenge teams up 12 deserving nonprofits with teams of 10 web developers who voluntarily spend 24 hours creating new websites.

"This is an amazing project," said Bunnie Riedel, host of Nonprofit Conversation. "I've worked in the nonprofit sector for 20 years and I know that finding the resources to create an effective website is something many nonprofits just can't do."

This is the second year Sierra Bravo has done the Overnight Website Challenge. At last year's inaugural Overnight Website Challenge, volunteer web developers donated well over 2,000 hours of professional services to 11 nonprofits - with a real-world street value of about a quarter-million dollars.

"Before you think I'm some eccentric philanthropist type, I'll come clean," said Mark Malmberg, Sierra Bravo Communication Manager, "I just happen to work for a web development company with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to having web nerds who make no distinction between work and play. This is just one reason why Sierra Bravo created the "Overnight Website Challenge."

The 24-hour marathon meeting of the needy/nerdy is fed through donations from Buffalo Wild Wings, Bruegger's, Chipotle, Umbria Pizza, Peace Coffee, Red Bull (which kicks in when the midnight oil flickers out).

This year's lucky nonprofit recipients of the Overnight Website Challenge are:

Access Press
Athletes Committed to Educating Students
Battered Women's Legal Advocacy Project
Caring for Kids Initiative
District 202
Friends of Fort Snelling
Global Citizens Network
Hopkins Minnetonka Family Resource Center
Karen Wyckoff Rein In Sarcoma Foundation
Resource Center of the Americas
Students Today, Leaders Forever
YEA Corps

Because Sierra Bravo's headquarters are in Minnesota, the company limits it's challenge to Minnesota nonprofits.

"This kind of philanthropy is invaluable," said Riedel. "Wouldn't it be great if there were an Overnight Website Challenge in every state? I think Sierra Bravo has created a model for other web development companies."

To learn more about the Overnight Website Challenge, go to http://www.sierra-bravo.com/

Nonprofit Conversation is a collaborative blog on issues faced by nonprofit executives, boards and experts. Hosted by Bunnie Riedel, Riedel Communications, Nonprofit Conversation invites success stories from nonprofits, write [email protected]

About Riedel Communications

Riedel Communications is a full service public relations and media distribution company that specializes in nonprofit and government clients. For further information contact Bunnie Riedel at 410-992-4976 or [email protected]

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