Robert Chiti, president and CEO of Phoenix-based OpenTech Alliance Inc., will hike the Grand Canyon on May 25, 2008, to raise funds for The Hunger Project, a global, strategic organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger. OpenTech will donate $5 for every rental processed through one of its INSOMNIAC self-storage kiosks on the day of the hike. It will also donate $1 for every payment processed through its kiosks that day.
 
Chiti and participating hikers will start their 26-mile journey from the North Rim at 4:30 a.m. and hope to finish approximately 10 hours later at the top of the South Rim. "I encourage my colleagues in the self-storage industry to support this fundraising event by either participating in the hike or making a donation to The Hunger Project," said Chiti with a smile. 

The event is the creation of George Roundy, volunteer leader of the Hunger Project and CEO of eCorridor, a technology-consulting company. Roundy, who has been working with the organization for more than 28 years, was recently awarded the Humanitarian Award by the Arizona Interfaith Movement.
 
Founded in 1977, The Hunger Project has pioneered low-cost, gender-focused strategies that enable women and men to create and run their own programs to achieve lasting progress in health, education, nutrition and family income. Chiti urged people to learn about the methodology and achievements of organization by viewing a short video at www.thp.org. "The focus of this organization is not about distributing food, it is about empowering women and men to end their own hunger,” he said.

Donations can be made by credit card at www.opentechalliance.com/donation.php. Checks made out to "The Hunger Project" can be mailed to:
 
OpenTech Alliance Inc.
Attn: The Hunger Project
2501 W. Dunlap Ave., Suite 150
Phoenix, AZ 85021.
 
OpenTech is the developer of the INSOMNIAC line of self-storage kiosks. For more information or to see an online demo, visit www.opentechalliance.com.