The first NetworkInAustin Gives project is here! We will be partnering with The Capital Area Food Bank for the next month. Between now and the end of February we will be running a Virtual Food Drive online, culminating in 2 days worth of volunteer opportunities at the Food Bank.

Thanks to Richard Fowler, we will be joined in this effort by the 1200+ members of the Austin Top Guns LinkedIn Group.

Hopefully you'll begin to hear about this effort from numerous sources, and help us spread the word.

The real kick-off of this project will follow the NetStorming event on Monday, February 9th. That event runs from 4:00 - 5:30pm at the Norris Conference Center. Starting at 6:15pm David Davenport, the CEO of CAFB, will give a short presentation. You'll learn a about the Food Bank and how it works, the various ways to get involved in this initiative and the impact your involvement can have on our local community. [David's presentation is open to ALL regardless of whether or not you are attending the NetStorming event prior]

The Virtual Food Drive is up and running NOW! We hope you'll consider making a contribution directly to the Food Bank and asking your friends, family and co-workers to consider doing the same. Give as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. What's most important is your participation, and every contribution matters.

During David's presentation you can also learn about how to setup your own food drive in your office if you'd prefer to get involved that way.

Finally the part I'm most excited about is the chance for us to volunteer and work together at the Food Bank on Thursday, February 26th and Friday, February 27th. There will be 4 different shifts available:

• Thursday, February 26: 6-9pm
• Friday, February 27: 7:30-9:30am
• Friday, February 27: 9:00-12:00
• Friday, February 27: 1:00-4:00pm

Space is limited, so please let us know which shift(s) you're interested in. For now you can just leave a comment on this blog post.

Thank you in advance for your willingness to participate and all of your hard work for this important organization.

Happy Networking!

Scott Ingram
NetworkInAustin.com