"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
— Mahatma Gandhi

A Weekend of Service: My Experience at Cleveland GiveCamp

Cleveland GiveCamp brings together developers, designers, and volunteers to build software solutions for nonprofit organizations — all in a single weekend. This year, the event supported 10 different nonprofit organizations, including GiveCamp itself.

History of Cleveland GiveCamp

Now in its 15th year, 2025 marked the first time Cleveland GiveCamp was officially recognized as a nonprofit by the IRS. Over the past decade and a half, they’ve helped more than 250 nonprofits, engaged over 1,000 volunteers, and contributed over $7.2 million in value.

Why I Joined

As someone new to the field of software development, this was my first opportunity to contribute to a real-world project outside of an academic setting. I got to work side-by-side with developers, project managers, and designers — and learn from all of them.

Being able to work with professional developers helped my confidence. I don’t subscribe to the idea of imposter syndrome, but I have felt that I might not be ready to be a working developer. This opportunity gave me the space to find out if I was truly ready to be a paid developer in the “wild.”

Beyond professional growth, this event spoke to something deeper. Service is core to who I am. Being able to apply the knowledge I’ve gained to help organizations whose entire mission is to uplift others — especially those society too often overlooks — was truly fulfilling.

The Project

Our team was paired with the nonprofit Cleveland GiveCamp Inc., whose mission is to connect tech professionals with nonprofits that need software solutions. Their request was straightforward but impactful:

Redesign their outdated website to better reflect their mission and community impact.

My Role

I contributed as both a developer and a designer. My responsibilities included:

• Designed and built the Events section
• Assisted with the overall layout and visual design
• Developed a scrolling tag of sponsor logos to showcase community partners

Tools & Technologies

• Squarespace – Chosen so the organization can easily update content without developer assistance
• HTML/CSS – Used to create the smooth scrolling sponsor section
• Taiga (Kanban) – Project management tool to organize our tasks and sprints

The Weekend Workflow

GiveCamp is fast-paced — you have just 48 hours to deliver a working solution. Here’s how our weekend unfolded:

1. Friday: Meet the nonprofit, understand the project scope, begin initial planning
2. Saturday: Full day of design and development — powered by caffeine and collaboration
3. Sunday: Polish, debug, present the final product, and hand off documentation

The best part? Everyone was there for the same reason: to help. You’re surrounded by people who bring positive energy, problem-solving skills, and a deep sense of purpose.

Lessons Learned

• Constraints fuel creativity. With limited time, we had to prioritize and make smart decisions fast.
• Mission matters. Hearing directly from the nonprofit grounded our work in real impact.
• Community is powerful. Watching strangers become a high-performing team in a weekend was incredible.

Takeaways

Cleveland GiveCamp reminded me that software isn’t just about clean code or elegant UI — it’s about people, purpose, and meaningful outcomes.

Changing careers often comes with practical goals — better pay, better hours, and a fresh challenge. But GiveCamp showed me something deeper: the skills I’ve gained can have a direct, positive impact on people’s lives. In a world connected by the internet, where data is the new currency, this experience reminded me that technology can be a force for good.

Want to Get Involved?

Visit clevelandgivecamp.org or check if your city hosts a similar event.
Bring your skills. Leave with purpose.