Turning 30

I turn 30 on May 7, 2025. It's a bit of a scary event! I want to make the most of the occasion so in lieu of other plans, I'm taking the opportunity to raise funds for educational non-profits.

I was forced to drop out of college when I was 19 because I could no longer afford to go. It was incredibly depressing and scarring. With luck and obsession over the years I was able to get past this handicap. I am fortunate at this point to be able to enjoy my work and life quite a bit.

But I don't want others to have to go through that scarring process. At the very least, I want to play some small part in improving access to education. So! If you've ever enjoyed my writing or you've enjoyed one of my communities, I'll ask you for this little birthday present! And you will get something in return.

If you donate any amount over $10 and send me a receipt (screenshot is fine), I will list your name and a link of your choice (SFW, etc.) on this page.

If you donate any amount over $30 and send me a receipt (screenshot is fine), I will take a 30-minute call with you on any topic you'd like. Or I'll meet you in person in NYC when you're around.

Any of these non-profits are game:

• Malala Fund (100% Charity Score)
• ProLiteracy (100% Charity Score)
• UNICEF (94% Charity Score)
• Girls Who Code (100% Charity Score)
• Scholarship America (99% Charity Score)

I will close down this fundraiser on May 14th, a week after my birthday. (The existing Chat for Education fundraiser will remain.)

I'm kicking things off by donating $300 each to Scholarship America (receipt) and Malala Fund (receipt).

Donations

Total: $4435

• Phil Eaton donated $300 to Scholarship America
• Phil Eaton donated $300 to Malala Fund
• Avinash Sajjanshetty donated $100 to UNICEF
• Jonathon Belotti donated $100 to Malala Fund
• Aditya Thebe donated $50 to Malala Fund
• Noghartt donated $30 to Malala Fund
• Gülçin Yıldırım Jelínek donated $25 to Malala Fund
• Armaan Mehta donated $100 to Girls Who Code
• Georg Kreuzmayr donated $100 to Girls Who Code
• Anonymous donated $50 to ProLiteracy
• Anonymous donated $50 to Malala Fund
• Zaid Humayun donated $50 to Malala Fund
• Andrew Khoma donated $290 to Girls Who Code (in memory of Yulia Zdanovska)
• David Golden donated $30 to Girls Who Code
• Anonymous donated $100 to Malala Fund
• Mish Ushakov donated $250 to Girls Who Code
• Mish Ushakov donated $250 to Malala Fund
• Olaoluwa donated $50 to Malala Fund
• Cynthia Dunlop donated $100 to ProLiteracy (she says: read Writing For Developers
• Evan Schwartz donated $10 to Malala Fund
• SowmithK donated $30 to Malala Fund
• Anonymous donated $100 to ProLiteracy
• Rohan Puri donated $100 to Malala Fund
• Ankush Menat donated $100 to MagicBus
• Anonymous donated $300 to UNICEF
• Sean Villars donated $50 to ProLiteracy
• Nils Koch donated $50 to Malala Fund
• Swapnil Ramteke donated $30 to Malala Fund
• Anonymous donated $50 to Girls Who Code
• Nishanth Ramamurthy donated $30 to Malala Fund
• Anonymous donated $30 to Malala Fund
• Anonymous donated $30 to Scholarship America
• Anonymous donated $250 to Malala Fund
• Capybara donated $50 to UNICEF
• Kunal Kundu donated $30 to UNICEF
• @onehappyfellow donated $30 to ProLiteracy
• Mitchell Skiles donated $500 to Scholarship America
• Abhishek Chanda donated $50 to ProLiteracy
• Anonymous donated $50 to UNICEF
• Anonymous donated $30 to Malala Fund
• Miikka Koskinen donated $50 to Malala Fund
• Brandon Tat donated $50 to Girls Who Code
• Anonymous donated $40 to Girls Who Code
• Anonymous donated $50 to Malala Fund

Turned 30 today! I'm grateful for good health, an industry with so much possibility, and being part of some lovely communities inside and outside of tech.

The last decade for me was about tech while the next decade will be about people. Let's see what we can build together. :) pic.twitter.com/j1ZdXCGSVK

— Phil Eaton (@eatonphil) May 7, 2025