Here’s an innovative way to use knowledge of code to do something good for the world. It’s a disaster relief code jam. They’re using technology to “identify key challenges to disaster relief, and to develop solutions to these critical issues.”

They’re calling the project Random Hacks of Kindness. They’ve been around since May, 2009 when they had their first Crisis Camp in D.C. It all began as a competition, but when “representatives from Microsoft, Google and Yahoo! agreed that some matters supersede competitive concerns,” the objectives changed. Now, they’ve partnered with NASA and The World Bank to create code that actually helps the field along in its widespread goals.

What are the basics of RHoK Codejam?

The goal is for programmers and tech-savvy people to team up with others who are experts in their field (such as staff allocation, resource allocation and the like). Together, they’ll come up with innovative ways to use technology and create ways to connect in times of crisis. One of the problems they look to solve: How to reach those with no connectivity?

When is it?

November 12-14 in Mountainview, CA. Even if it’s too late to sign up now, it’s still an interesting thing to follow- and there will probably be more events similar to this one. Get the right people involved, and anything’s possible. There’ll be disaster-relief apps and programs galore…

That reminds me…

There’s a television series running right now called “Flash Forward.” In this show, the entire world “blacked out” for two minutes and 17 seconds. It was chaotic- wrecks, fires, thousands of deaths and confusion. It was a crisis. During this mass blackout, everyone had a “vision”- as they started talking to each other about what they saw, they came to realize they all saw their futures six months from then. No one knew why the blackout happened, but surely someone was behind it. They created a website called Mosaic, where people around the globe could log on and record their visions. The site then cross-referenced what they entered with every other entry to see if there was anything in common. The goal of the site was to find out what caused the blackout by painting a big picture with everyone’s stories.

Far-fetched? Maybe. But with events like RHoK working to create solutions for a greater cause, who knows what could happen?

More info onRHoK.