The Chattanooga Make-a-Thon will be held on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at The Edney. The Chattanooga Make-a-Thon is a 12-hour design and development marathon benefiting local nonprofit and humanitarian causes.
Past Make a Mark events have provided nonprofits with over $100,000 worth of design and marketing resources for their organizations that are used to promote their causes and increase the quality of communication between the organization and their audiences. At least a dozen local nonprofits will be selected to participate in Make a Mark Chattanooga.
“Coming from a nonprofit organization, I saw what a struggle it could be to find the time, money and other resources to create quality communication materials," said Sarah Obenauer, Make a Mark founder and director. "However, being a designer and marketer, I also knew how valuable these materials could be in the hands of a passionate nonprofit."
This event brings together student and professional designers, developers and other makers to create pro-bono work for deserving causes in an energetic 12-hour marathon. It gives makers an opportunity to create unique, meaningful work and develop a motivated and inspired community, said officials.
"This is much more than pro-bono work," said Ms. Obenauer. "What we are working to do is to build a community, build investment and create a movement of more socially aware citizens."
These events are designed specifically for each locality with the idea in mind that a community should help define its unique needs. In April, 50 Makers and nonprofits gathered to start the discussion on how to make the event a success in Chattanooga.
In partnership with Causeway, the Chattanooga event is being organized by Ms. Obenauer who is now a Chattanooga citizen. “In late 2016, my husband and I moved to Chattanooga after visiting and enjoying the city for several years. What drew us to Chattanooga was the culture of beautiful design as well as a sense of community action to better the city in very real ways,” Ms. Obenauer said.
The event is also expanding to New York City, Baltimore and Asheville, following three annual events and 45 completed projects in Roanoke - Blacksburg. Make a Mark is growing because citizens in each location bubbled to the surface and said “we need this in our community.”
Nonprofit applications are open now through June 30, while Maker applications will be available from July 1-Aug. 7. Aoply on the website to participate in this event. For more information, visit letsmakeamark.org or email at hello@letsmakeamark.org.