The "VSLive! Gives Back" program gives conference participants an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the host community in the short amount of time they spend there.

Giving Back Microsoft HQ

The Visual Studio Live! Microsoft HQ Conference is proud to announce its alliance with Washington Kids in Transition as its "VSLive! Gives Back" partner.

Washington Kids in Transition

Washington Kids in Transition is committed to providing basic needs to homeless children residing in Washington State, including food, emergency closets, motel vouchers, transportation vouchers. Our goal is to remove stressors that can keep homeless students from attending school because kids should not have to worry about where they will sleep or what they will eat.

We partner with social workers within each school to provide a safety net of resources to students struggling to stay in school.

How You Can Help

Conference participants are invited to donate in-kind donations that will directly benefit homeless youth. Here is a list of in-kind donations items from Washington Kids in Transition:

School Supplies:

• Highlighters
• Graph paper
• Black and Blue pens
• Pee Chee style folders
• Sharpies
• Colored pencils

Non-perishable snacks:

• Granola bars, cereal bars, protein bars, fruit bars
• Raisins, fruit cups, squeezable fruit pouches
• Pop-tarts, pretzel packets, cracker packets
• Instant oatmeal cups/packets, individual size cereal
• Cup-O-Noodles, cups of soup pop-top lids, instant mac and cheese cups
• Beef jerky, beef sticks

Look for the Gives Back donation box sign near the Visual Studio Live! registration desk, or ask a staff member how you can help.

VSLive! Conference Bag Donation

Visual Studio Live! provides bags to all attendees to carry laptops, notepads, pens, and other pertinent items around while you are at the conference. The bags can also serve as useful souvenirs to take back home or to the office to remind you about the great conference you just attended. But not everyone needs a new backpack.

If you don’t need a new bag (or don’t want to take the bag home after using it for the week) and prefer it gets donated to a good cause, you can place your bag in the Gives Back Box and your conference bag will be donated to Washington Kids in Transition.

For more information on the "VSLive! Gives Back" program or how you can help, contact Joyce Jackson at [email protected] or 949.296.9840.