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Why 48in48?

It all started with a simple idea from Jeff Hilimire, founder of 48in48:

“I remember walking on the path in Piedmont Park with Jeff Hilimire in 2014, and him telling me about the vision for what would become 48in48. Jeff said that he wanted to help people use their professional talents to do good in our community. I thought that was a fantastic idea and offered to do whatever I could to support the effort.”

- Joe Koufman | Team Setup | CEO for Setup

48 websites for 48 nonprofits in 48 hours. 6 cities. $1.5 million of value provided at each event.  That’s what 48in48 has become over the past four years.

“As the hundreds of volunteers streamed into the Willoughby building last Friday night, ready to spend the next 48 hours donating their weekend to build 48 nonprofit websites, I couldn't help but think about how far 48in48 has come in the last four years. When Adam Walker and I first started this movement, we weren't even sure if we could pull off one event effectively. Fast-forward to today, and we're in six cities, including London! The purpose we're marching toward is to unlock global marketing and technology volunteerism. And while we have big ambitions - 48 events in 48 cities around the globe, on the same weekend - we know that as long as we keep making progress year-by-year, and we focus on the experience of the volunteers and the results for the nonprofits, we'll eventually achieve our goals.”

- Jeff Hilimire | Founder of 48in48 | CEO for Dragon Army


To the Setup team, each year has been a profoundly beautiful experience at the intersection of passion and purpose.





Why 48in48?

We have a chance to make something other than money - We have the chance to make a difference.

When a nonprofit signs up for 48in48, they are promised a professionally designed website with a maximum of 15 pages. For one of the nonprofits Team Setup took on, Everybody Wins! Atlanta, a 15 page website was simply not enough to tell their story. Whether or not we would go above the 15 page promise was never a question for our team. We weren’t there to fulfill a quota - we were there to make a difference. So we built them a 30+ page website. Here are some thoughts from the some of the members of our team:

“As a first timer, I walked in blind with just a little WordPress experience. Challenges presented themselves along the way, but rising to meet those challenges, with a wonderful team, made the results that much sweeter. Two beautiful sites for very deserving nonprofits. With this experience gained I truly look forward to next time.”

- Andrew Ericson | Team Setup | Designer for Planet Studio

“Without exaggeration, this is the best thing I have done all year. Working with brilliant people... was invigorating and so much fun. Together, we built sites that will make a tangible impact on our nonprofits and the communities they serve.”

- Dylan Floyd | Team Setup | Marketing & Social Media Manager for Strong-Bridge Envision

“The energy and passion at 48in48 is electric. Although I could only contribute a portion of my time, I was constantly inspired and excited by my fellow teammates. 48in48 gives talented people a chance to come together to create work that will make a difference. This was my first year and I absolutely cannot wait to help out again!”

- Madeline Evans | Team Setup | Marketing Coordinator for Setup



The stigma surrounding the marketing profession is well known - we’ll do ANYTHING to make money… right? Wrong. If 48in48 is any indicator, marketers have more altruism than they get credit for. Over 300 volunteers in Atlanta worked tirelessly day and night to go above and beyond for the nonprofits they were representing.

We have the opportunity to collaborate across skill sets and companies for the common purpose of elevating Atlanta’s community and the nonprofits that serve it.

“I hope you understand what an amazing contribution you made to our community. Each nonprofit can better do their work because of you. Please know the community greatly appreciates all you have done this weekend!”

- Ann W. Cramer

This year alone, #48in48ATL delivered over 1.5 million dollars worth of professional services to nonprofits in Atlanta. Doubtless, the nonprofits got a lot out of it… but they weren’t the only ones. Every year, volunteers consistently express how rewarding it is to contribute a skill set that is unique to the marketing profession, while working alongside ambitious colleagues:

"Participating in 48in48 is amazing and addicting! For as much good as we did for our local community, it was also refreshing to work with a group of energized, talented people from various industries who were all on their A-game; diving head first and saying 'YES!' to whatever challenges that came to be. I wish everyday could be like this.”

- Wei Yang | Team Setup | Product Owner for Turner

"48in48 was so much more than I expected. The teamwork was incredible and everyone had their grind on full steam.  And after it was all said and done, watching the reaction of the non-profits was worth every ounce of the hard work everyone put in.  Looking forward to doing it again next year with my team ––> Doing Good, Feels Good.”

- Javier Santana | Team Setup | Co-Founder for Launch

Lastly, 48in48 brings out the best in all of us.

At Setup, we have six core values that we live by:

  • We are collaborative

  • We are honorable

  • We are resourceful

  • We are insightful

  • We are connected

  • We are tenacious

Our participation in 48in48 enabled us to live out every single one of our values in an extremely meaningful way.

“At Setup, we practice what we preach. We did an honorable thing by contributing our time and skill set. We collaborated with nonprofits and with each other. We were resourceful and tenacious in completing each task effectively and efficiently. Team Setup had people from inside and outside of our organization (including one of our agency partners, Launch!)… so we were absolutely connected. While 48in48 certainly requires a marathon mentality… it is so, so worth it in the end.”

- Kate Jacoutot | Team Setup | Director of Marketing for Setup

“The Setup team is one that collaborates and activates. No one ‘sits the bench’ and everyone participated with no egos. I know we all got tired. But we worked as a team and knocked out something I don’t think others could have done.”

- Paul Carpenter | Team Setup | Director of Client Relations at LionStar Films


To highlight a quote we used in our 2016 recap of 48in48:

“Skills-based volunteering is a movement that brings passion, purpose, and possibility to corporations, professionals and nonprofits. It enables different sectors to work collaboratively and share expertise while building capacity and making the world a better place one social good mission at a time.”

- Kimberly Dulin, Catchafire

It goes without saying - Team Setup™ will be back at 48in48 next year. #ItsOurCode #48in48ATL

Shout out our agency partners who participated this year: Dragon Army, Definition 6, Launch, and Dagger.

Be sure to check out our friends’ recaps of the event: