if you're a software engineer (or really any kind of engineer), why aren't you doing charity hackathons?
nonprofits and charities have the same problems as everyone else: outdated websites, manual processes, spreadsheets everywhere, and not enough people to build solutions.
a lot of companies will even give you volunteer time off, and some will match donations or provide funding for community projects.
one thing i really like about the des moines tech community is how much people care about giving back. i recently joined the board of dsmHack, and one of the things we're exploring is Hack Away Hunger, a hackathon focused on helping organizations fight food insecurity.
you don't always have to build the next billion-dollar startup. sometimes a weekend project can help a nonprofit reach more people, save volunteers hours of work, or make a real difference for a community that needs it.
if you've never done a charity hackathon before, give one a shot.