Brute Labs is a 501(3) non-profit volunteer organization based in Silicon Valley. The volunteer organization is composed of Bay Area high tech professionals and supports a broad spectrum of causes ranging from physical fitness in low income schools to clean water wells for rural communities in Africa. The name is derived from the philosophy of doing whatever it takes to get something done (Brute) and constant rapid prototyping to learn from mistakes (Labs).

History of Brute Labs

Brute Labs was started in 2006 by Josh To, with a mission to prove that anyone can do good.

Projects

Brute Labs has completed several socially conscious design projects since its inception.

Well Done

In June 2008 Brute Labs partnered with Pioneers-Africa and local village governments in Ghana to build wells in rural communities that would provide access to clean drinking water. The Well Done project won 2nd place in the American Institute of Graphic Arts

Aiga

‘Aiga is a word in the Samoan language which means 'family.' The aiga is the family unit of Samoan society and differs from the Western sense in that it consists more than just a mother, father and children. The Samoan family, also referred to as an 'extended family' is based on the culture's...

 San Francisco Cause/Effect Health and Development award in July 2009. The project later spun off as its own non-profit organization dedicated to expanding clean water resources and has since brought clean drinking water to more than 50 communities around the globe

RUN!

In 2007, Brute Labs launched a fitness program at Caesar Chavez elementary school in East Palo Alto to address the childhood obesity epidemic.. A raffle was added to the existing physical education program to incentivize students to run above the minimum requirement, with raffle tickets given for every lap above the required distance and every new personal best set in the mile. The program caused a 232% increase in the number of miles run with an investment of $50 and a little time. Building off of that model, grant money from the Sappi’s

Sappi

Sappi Limited is a global pulp and paper company group.Sappi is a producer of coated fine paper and chemical cellulose. The company conducts its business through three business units: Sappi Fine Paper, Sappi Forest Products and Sappi Trading....

 “Ideas That Matter” program was used to expand RUN! to 15 low-income bay area schools.

ProjectOPEN

ProjectOPEN was conceived to address the pervasive plight of the homeless population in Santa Monica. With a city map including markers for homeless resources such as housing and food services along with public transportation routes to get there, as well as a reverse side with laws that pertain to homeless populations, the goal was to inform and empower. ProjectOPEN won a grant from UCLA for printing and distribution in Santa Monica, as well as the American Institute of Graphic Arts San Francisco Cause/Effect community development award in July 2009.

External links

• Brute Labs official website
• Brute Labs GuideStar profile
• Facebook Account
• Twitter Account
• Google.org blog, Mchopa project
• AIGA SF Small Talks Big Ideas
• GOOD magazine, RUN!
• GOOD magazine, Brute Labs & VTA partner
• GOOD magazine, Solving Six Urban Problems
• SF Design Week
• Ignite SF
• SAPPI Ideas That Matter
• Mountain View Voice