Microsoft employees raised $142 million for 19,000 nonprofits around the world

Microsoft Philanthropies was formed just over a year ago. Since then, Microsoft and its employees have donated more than $650 million in cash, cloud services and software to nonprofits around the world. Mary Snapp, corporate vice president at Microsoft Philanthropies, today detailed the contributions Microsoft Philanthropies in a letter, you can read it here. Microsoft donated about $465 million in cloud services to more than 71,000 organizations while Microsoft employees raised $142 million for 19,000 nonprofits. Microsoft highlighted that their giving program has now raised $1.5 billion since 1983.

Additional 2016 results reported by Microsoft Philanthropies include these:

• Through the TEALS program, helped engage 750 volunteers from more than 400 different companies to bring computer science education to students in 225 U.S. high schools
• In partnership with Code.org, set a new record for the annual Hour of Code campaign, with 15 million trials, in 119 countries, of Minecraft coding tutorials
• Aided refugees and displaced people in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece through more than $30 million in technology and funding to organizations such as Mercy Corps, CARE and NetHope
• Delivered connectivity to remote schools, health clinics and community centers in 11 countries through the use of TV white spaces

“Technology has the power to uplift, to connect, and perhaps most important, to save lives,” Snapp said. “Together with our grantees, partners and employees around the world, Microsoft Philanthropies is using the power of technology to help those impacted by some of the world’s biggest challenges, including economic disruption, inequality, disasters, war, and famine.”

Microsoft mentioned that Microsoft Philanthropies will grow its work with nonprofits to prepare people for jobs that require skills from basic digital literacy to advanced computer science, as well as increase support for humanitarian responders.