At Next Plateau, we consider it an honor to support entrepreneurship by giving back to the Chicago community and the larger world community. Here are a few of our favorite causes.

Youth Technology Corps (YTC) provides after-school programs at Chicago area high schools where students refurbish old computers to donate to the community and teach others in the free computer labs. Qualified YTC students from these after-school programs also have the opportunity to travel to Durango, Mexico to bring technology to that community as well. Since 1999, Chicago YTC youth have donated over 1,200 computers throughout Chicago to youth centers, elementary schools, community centers and religious organizations, as well as 600 computers to Durango, Mexico schools in annual exchanges.

Believing that teens and technology are the crossroads of the future, the YTC mission is to connect youth to technology and community through after-school opportunities. YTC encourages youth to become agents of change at home and abroad by learning new technologies and providing this technology to others in their neighborhood and beyond. The YTC motto: “As long as you have something to give others you are never poor.”

Frank Washelesky, Next Plateau’s President, is proud to support YTC’s mission as a member of its Board of Trustees and its Treasurer. To learn more about how you can help, please visit www.ytcorps.org.

Kiva.org is a non-profit organization that enables people to connect with and make personal loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world. Through Kiva, anyone can make a direct loan, and by doing so, contribute to a vital influx of capital to the developing world where most of the poor are self-employed entrepreneurs. A small loan to purchase business-related items such as sewing machines or livestock can dramatically improve the life of an entrepreneur and his/her family, thus empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.

Next Plateau is a proud participant in the Kiva lending program. To view loans that we have made and learn how you can help, please visit www.kiva.org/lender/nextplateau.