It all started with a simple, honest post two weeks ago. The center was ready to close. My dream all along was for a center that offered only free computer training, but I couldn’t afford it, not without help. By noon the day after the post, donors led by @Brav0hax had stepped up, sending in over $1,000, enough to float the center for a month and a half.  Then @gdbassett tweeted, challenging Rapid7 and IOActive to donate. Rapid7 stepped up, donated $5,000 along with their own tweeted and blogged challenge. @Threatpost tweeted, along with many others, and the HFC Training Center Fund began to grow.

I am stunned at the result. The message is clear. You believe in what we’re trying to do with the center. You spoke loud and clear with your tweets, blogs, messages and support. I am humbled, and grateful. I admit, I still feel stressed a bit, in fear of the always-present thought of “what if the support ends?”, but for now, we don’t have to scrape to keep the training center open. I am thankful to each one of you for your part in making this happen. On the scale of things, the amount we raised may seem like very little, but I want to be very clear: You all are funding a free computer training center in East Africa. You are making a difference.

In two weeks, you sent in an overwhelming $6,192.44 in individual donations. Combined with the $5,000.00 coming from Rapid7 on October 1st, together we raised enough money to operate the center for over 14 months!

14 months. Amazing!

I’ll do my best to make sure your money isn’t going to waste. I’m excited about the ideas you’ve sent in and I’m looking for creative ways to get the student’s stories out to you.Thanks again, everyone. I am truly humbled.

Here are the somewhat obfuscated donation totals. I’ve tried to keep it as anonymous as possible, but if you or your organization would like public “partnership” recognition, please let me know.

dalerap: $  20.00
neil.at: $ 100.00
socepek: $1000.00
bubba@k: $ 125.00
jt@seve: $ 100.00
reid.ha: $ 250.00
lonefer: $  20.00
dpeters: $ 250.00
nchilbi: $  75.00
ronin7@: $ 200.00
Rapid7 : $5000.00
danasme: $  20.00
emilam@: $ 685.00
scriptj: $  50.00
csr-gro: $ 500.00
jmoran1: $  20.00
peterwo: $ 100.00
jimwass: $ 100.00
borys@b: $  20.00
daniel.: $  20.00
lithron: $ 157.44
steve@o: $ 100.00
yori@co: $  10.00
dc949..: $  10.00
Foss.Gr: $  10.00
ferruh@: $ 785.00
beau.mo: $ 100.00
gbasset: $ 100.00
jeremy.: $  20.00
jsand51: $  20.00
evanpin: $  25.00
Daniel.: $ 500.00
kuzushi: $ 200.00
rockyde: $ 500.00