Today, Helpful.com CEO Dan Debow has become the first Canadian tech CEO to match Canadian donations to non-profit, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In a tweet, the former Salesforce SVP said that he would match donations up to $5,000 from Canadians if they post proof in his @replies.
Reply w receipts of CDN donations @aclu & I’ll match first $5k. https://t.co/cdDaoY0mmC #nowallsintech
— daniel debow (@ddebow) January 30, 2017
The ACLU is facing numerous legal challenges and high demand for its services following US president Donald Trump’s executive order to ban refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries on Friday (the ACLU then sued the administration). Over the course of this weekend, it’s received record-breaking support through $24 million in donations. Usually, the ACLU raises $4 million a year.
Speaking with BetaKit, Debow said he hoped his actions would spur Canadian CEOs to do the same. Keyhole.co co-founder Saif Ajani has jumped on board, pledging to match the next $5,000 of Canadian donations to the ACLU submitted to Dan Debow’s @replies.
Let's keep the momentum going. I'll match next $5k of replies on @ddebow's tweet. #NoWallsInTech
Donate at https://t.co/V5kuaLOW7l https://t.co/0wtQfbCVPl
— Saif Ajani 🔑#️⃣ (@saif_ajani) January 30, 2017
Over the weekend, Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield was public about matching donations to the ACLU, NAACP, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Hard to track donations (opportunity: simplify charitable gift matches!) so redoubled @aclu w/ @splcenter, @MALDEF, @NAACP_LDF & @ProPublica pic.twitter.com/TLCNgYhD0U
— Stewart Butterfield (@stewart) January 29, 2017
The list of tech community members matching donations wasn’t limited to CEOs; serial entrepreneur and Camp Reset co-founder Andrew Peek also matched donations this weekend.
Wattpad head of creators Melissa Nightingale and Hubba chief product officer Johnathan Nightingale contributed $3,000 together.
Together we just added over $3k to the @ACLU. Job's not done, but we appreciate what you've all given tonight. Much ❤ from me & @shappy pic.twitter.com/eKO268F9Ty
— J Nightingale (@johnath) January 29, 2017
These actions mirror a growing movement of tech CEOs south of the border committing to matching ACLU donations. These include early Twitter investor Chris Sacca, Sequoia Capital partner Mike Vernal, and Facebook head of advertising Andrew Bosworth.