Tag: 230223

Crypto mining for charity

Concord software developer discusses his new app

Concord entrepreneur Russ Willey talked about his new company Crypto-Charities and how its software helps nonprofits, organizations and individuals generate passive income from their supporters. Learn more at crypto-charities.org.

What is Crypto-Charities?

It’s a software that users download and install on their Windows-based PC, and essentially what it does is mine digital currency while the computer is active. … [The user] enters a code for the charity of their choice into the application, and all the digital currency that’s collected is sent back to our secure servers. At the end of the month, we [calculate] how much each code has received … and send out checks to all these charities.

How did you come up with it?

I went to UNH in Manchester and studied computer science and networking, but I didn’t graduate. I got into printing and variable data in my career. Back in the ’90s, I [was interested in] the use of distributed computing. … It was easier to collect and analyze data through distributed computing than through one supercomputer. I always kept that idea in my brain. Then, with the advent of digital currency, I thought, this would be a perfect application for distributed computing. … The idea developed over the years, and we went into full development last summer.

Is anyone else doing anything like this?

We’re the only ones in the world. The idea of mining digital currency is not a new thing, but no one else is … mining cryptocurrency for charities … or doing what we’re doing … with our workflow — being able to tag that work for each charity using a code system. That’s what we’ve patented. It’s a great thing to be at the forefront of.

Who is using the app?

Anybody can use it. Someone who wants to support a charity can just download the app and run it. There are companies we’re working with that have 100 to 200 computers running, so they just run this app in the background and they’re actually generating income. We’re also starting to work with content creators and streamers; they pick a charity they support and are passively fundraising for that charity when their followers and subscribers download the app and use that content creator’s or streamer’s code.

How much money can it generate?

Through our testing, we’ve found that, on average, [a single computer] will generate between $10 and $30 annually, possibly more depending on the strength of the computer. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you get 1,000 supporters who are each [generating] $10 a year, that’s $10,000 a year. Any charity that could get all of its supporters to give $10 a year would be tickled pink — and with the app, the supporter can do that without having to dig into their own pocket.

How can people start using the app to support a charity?

They can go to our website and download and install the application. We have a whole list of charities that we work with, so they just pick a charity and put that charity’s code in. The software will remember that code you’re using, but you can change the code anytime you want to. … Also, if people are involved with a charity or have their own ideas about what charities they’d like to see added to the app, they can reach out to us.

Featured photo: Russ Willey. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 23/02/23

Money for outdoor amenities

The New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation is now accepting proposals for the 2023 Land and Water Conservation Fund grants, according to a press release. The grants, funded by the National Parks Service and administered in New Hampshire by New Hampshire State Parks’ Bureau of Community Recreation, facilitate public outdoor recreational projects. Eligible projects may focus on developing new or renovating existing outdoor recreation support facilities, acquiring property for public outdoor recreation use, or a combination of both development and acquisition. Recent New Hampshire projects supported by LWCF grants include ball fields, a boat ramp, a ski lodge, rail trails, multiple municipal parks and other projects that improve public access to quality outdoor recreation experiences. “New Hampshire has been known worldwide for its recreational opportunities for generations,” Brian Wilson, director of the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation, said in the release. “It’s one of the reasons so many people come to visit the Granite State, and it’s definitely why so many choose to live here and do business here.” Project sponsors who are interested in applying for a grant should submit an Intent to Apply form to New Hampshire State Parks no later than June 2 at 4 p.m. Program staff will review the submitted forms and conduct inspections of the project sites to determine eligibility. If a project is deemed eligible, the project sponsor will be invited to complete the grant application process. Project sponsors must agree to contribute a 50/50 match of the grant. Visit nhstateparks.org/about-us/community-recreation/land-water-conservation-fund-grant or call 271-3556.

Drug warning

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is warning residents about a growing trend of the animal tranquilizer xylazine being added to opioid street drugs like heroin and fentanyl. The non-opioid sedative, approved for use in veterinary medicine, can have dangerous effects when consumed by humans, such as sedation, respiratory depression, a slowed heart rate and muscle relaxation. According to a press release, the number of xylazine-positive overdose deaths has doubled in the Northeast between 2020 and 2021, and individuals who are struggling with substance use disorder may be unaware that they are ingesting xylazine when it is mixed with other drugs. “The increased presence of xylazine circulating in the Northeast is concerning,” Dr. Jonathan Ballard, Chief Medical Officer for DHHS, said in the release. “When added to opioid drugs like heroin and fentanyl, it may increase the risk of overdose and death.” Xylazine users are at risk of experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms when they stop consuming the drug, and repeated exposure can cause the user to develop severe necrotic skin ulcers. If you suspect an overdose involving xylazine, call 911, then administer naloxone if available, DHHS advised in the release. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a medication that can quickly reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. Though it does not work to reverse the effects of xylazine, it should be administered in an overdose situation as opioids are often consumed in conjunction with xylazine.

Disaster help

Gov. Chris Sununu sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Friday, Feb. 17, requesting a major disaster declaration and federal emergency assistance for the severe weather conditions that New Hampshire experienced from Dec. 22 through Dec. 25, which included flash flooding and heavy winds that resulted in downed trees, blocked roadways and power and heating outages and warranted execution of the State Emergency Operations Plan. “New Hampshire sustained major damages to state and local infrastructure that led to numerous requests for state assistance,” Sununu wrote in the letter, adding that “the response consumed staff time and exhausted available resources.” State and local damages have been valued at $1,965,549. If the declaration is granted, it will be the third major disaster declaration in New Hampshire in 18 months. Read the full letter at nh.gov/safety/divisions/hsem.

Citizen of the year

The Greater Manchester Chamber has selected Dr. Paul. J. LeBlanc, president and CEO of Southern New Hampshire University, as its next Citizen of the Year. According to a press release, the annual Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Celebration will be held on Tuesday, April 11, at 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, where Chamber members, community members, friends, family and colleagues of LeBlanc are invited to gather in honor of LeBlanc and celebrate his accomplishments and dedication to the city of Manchester. “Paul LeBlanc has been an unwavering advocate for the residents of this community and used his impeccable leadership at Southern New Hampshire University to not only lift up his students, but to lift up our entire community,” Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release. “Paul’s presidency has helped shape our city into what it is today.”

Honoring McAuliffe

By an executive order from Gov. Chris Sununu, a permanent memorial to Christa McAuliffe will be built on the Statehouse grounds, NHPR reported. McAuliffe, who taught at Concord High School, died in the Challenger space shuttle tragedy on Jan. 28, 1986, at the age of 37 and is buried in a local cemetery. Sununu’s order calls for $500,000 from the state budget to fund the memorial and the assemblance of a commission to study, design and oversee its construction. The memorial is expected to be unveiled by Sept. 2, 2024, on what would have been McAuliffe’s 76th birthday.

Optima Dermatology & Medical Aesthetics, led by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Molly Cowdrey, will open a new practice at 176 S. River Road in Bedford on Monday, Feb. 27, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to follow on Tuesday, March 14, according to a press release. This is Optima’s fourth practice in New Hampshire and fifth in New England.

United Way of Greater Nashua will host food drives at stores in Greater Nashua every Saturday through April 22, starting with the Market Basket in Hudson on Saturday, Feb. 25. The drives support pantries such as Nashua Community College Student Assistance Pantry, Milford SHARE Outreach and others, according to a press release. The schedule is at tinyurl.com/FoodDrivesUWGN.

Through March 26, Jordan’s Furniture in Nashua is collecting donations of new and gently used prom dresses and gowns for its Belle of the Ball Program, which distributes donated prom attire to students with limited financial resources, according to the Jordan’s website. Visit jordans.com/about-us/philanthropy/belle-of-the-ball.

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