NOLA Volunteers Ban Together To Create Tech Tools For Haiti

No one has been immune to the recent news about the devastating earthquakes that rocked Haiti.  Support in the form of money, clothes, and food have already poured out to aid the the nation.  But technologist across the country have found an unique way to support the disaster.  Under a cause called Crisis Commons programmers, developers, and everyday volunteers have united together to use their skills for good.  Crisis Commons spawned from talks that happened at Transparency Camp 09 and Government 2.0 Camp.  Several “campers” exchanged ideas about how to better connect people, utilize social networks, and disseminate information through the use of technology, especially during times and places of crisis.

Crisis Common is now a national event to develop technology tools to assist in times of crisis — particularly in support of the recent Haitian earthquakes.  So far Crisis Common techies from Atlanta to Los Angeles have helped develop such tools as Mobile Applications For Crisis Response, a Craigslist style exchange area for self-identified needs and requests by non-profits assisting in Haiti relief operations, and family reunification systems. These are just a few of the tools that people have created by pooling their skills sets and resources.

Sloane Berrent from The Causemopolitan and Robert Fogarty from Evacuteer have partnered to put on a barcamp style event on this Saturday modeled after Crisis Common called CrisisCampNOLA.  The event will get volunteers together for a day to contribute something in line with the Crisis Commons cause.  Developers (people with skills in programming, web design, application development, UI) and non developers (everyday people who are good at organizing, planning, social media, or scribing) are asked to come out this Saturday, January 23rd from 9AM until 6PM to help the group achieve its goal.  The event will be held at LaunchPad NOLA, 643 Magazine St.

If you want to help the CrisisCampNOLA cause feel free to show up at the event on Saturday and give a helping hand, tell a friend, or just get the word out.

Register: http://crisiscampnola.eventbrite.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Orleans-LA/Crisis-Camp-NOLA-crisiscampNOLA/260688229635

Twitter: http://twitter.com/crisiscampnola

Phone: 310.422.4895 (Yes, this is a local person)