Good Morning America – NYC Engineer Wants to Help Homeless Man With Software Coding Classes (ABC News)
Patrick McConlogue is a lot like the many others working in the New York tech scene. Every morning, he walks to work, passing a few homeless people on the streets, and then spends the rest of his day at a computer, writing software code for a 35-person startup.
But the 23-year-old engineer didn’t think those two parts of his day had to stay separate. Earlier this week, he made an offer to one of those homeless men.
“I walk by a homeless guy every day on the way to work and I get this feeling every day that he is a smart guy — he has books and he writes,” McConlogue told ABC News. “I was trying to think of a way to engage him and help him.”
McConlogue approached Leo, a 36-year man who lives on the streets of lower Manhattan, on Thursday and gave him two options.
The first was $100 in cash.
“I figured that was enough for a ticket some place or a few meals, if that’s what he wanted,” McConlogue said.
The second option on the table was a laptop, three JavaScript books and two months of coding instruction from McConlogue.
After hearing the offer, Leo, who McConlogue described as very articulate and gifted, especially in on the topic of environmental issues, decided to take the coding option.
“I want to spread knowledge and information about climate change and global warming,” Leo told ABC News in a phone interview facilitated by McConlogue.
Soon, McConlogue will deliver him a Samsung Chromebook with 3G connectivity, three JavaScript books, a solar charger for the laptop and something to conceal the laptop in. He will spend an hour before work every morning teaching him the basics of software coding.
McConlogue began documenting his plans to help Leo on the blogging platform Medium earlier this week and has seen a mix of reactions.
