Tech's Day Of Service Is Now 3 Days, With Record Turnout

Two thousand tech workers in Greater Boston are stepping away from their computers this week, trading keyboards for rakes and paint brushes. The turnout sets a record for an annual event called Tech Gives Back, organized by the Cambridge nonprofit Technology Underwriting Greater Good (TUGG).

A day of service has been a fixture on the tech community calendar for the past seven years, but this year, it's three days, starting Tuesday.

Organizer Mike Cole, TUGG's new executive director, says more companies are giving workers time off to participate.

"The desires of the workforce are changing," Cole said. "Providing perks to your employees that are socially conscious and are about giving back — that's gonna help you attract top talent and retain that talent."

There are 70 service projects in all. They range from clearing nature trails to guiding middle schoolers through a "Shark Tank"-style pitch contest, rebranded as "Guppy Tank."