We have been avidly volunteering at this non-profit organization, because we are in sync with its mission to provide meanfingful income to crafts people from around the world, and it's a great place to shop!

Normal volunteering involves putting a few hours in the shop, as a clerk or greeter, or maybe to move boxes and merchandise around. The latter is what Agoric Source principal, Kevin Lacobie, had been mostly involved, but lately the store's requirements have been of a more decidely information technology nature, including setting up a network at their new store, and contributing to rolling out a website.

A web-based Content Management System is a natural choice for a non-profit organization that relies on volunteers, as it's impossible to rely upon a dedicated staff of webmasters. Instead, the site contributors come from everywhere, and whenever they have time. Plone became a top choice for coordinating this creative chaos, and we've had fun rolling it out for Ten Thousand Villages, and working with their publicity, marketing, and education staff and volunteers.

The site is still evolving, but check it out at Ten Thousand Villages Houston . We think it looks quite slick!