Checkers & Rally’s announced it partnered with Code Nation, a charitable organization based in New York that equips students in under-resourced high schools with the skills, experiences and connections that together create access to careers in technology, for the non-profit’s first Summer Coding Challenge. As part of the event held August 9 – 11, Checker’s donated a total of $5,000 in supplies and donations such as Kindles, backpacks, charger packs, Metrocards, laptops, wi-fi hotspots and other items to participants.

The Code Nation Summer Coding Challenge brings together students and volunteers from across the nation for two days of collaboration and coding around a surprise theme. This year, students performed a Checker’s themed challenge, where they were asked to fix common problems the company’s IT department comes across when working on the branded app. Ryan Reichmann, Director of Marketing Technology at Checkers, participated in an Icebreaker event as well as a Tech and Society talk where he shared his professional experiences.

“We’re honored to have partnered with Code Nation for this year’s first Summer Coding Challenge,” said Vijay Ghei, franchisee and president of the Checkers and Rally’s New York Co-Op. “At Checkers and Rally’s, we’re firm believers that everyone deserves the same opportunities regardless of their background or situation. The New York Co-Op is proud to be working with such a great organization to provide students access to the materials and education they need to inspire and kick-start their careers and give back to the communities we serve.”

“Partners like Checkers and Rally’s are integral to our work, and we appreciate their collaboration and generosity,” says Joliz Cedeño, managing director at Code Nation NYC. “The student participants look forward to collaborating with industry professionals, and we’re happy to have had Ryan and the Checkers and Rally’s team join the fun.”