The first Call for Code Challenge is a contest for apps that do what?

The Call for Code Challenge was launched this year by a partnership of the David Clark Cause, American Red Cross, the United Nations’ Human Rights Office and IBM. According to the Call for Code website, “this multi-year global initiative is a rallying cry to developers to use their skills and mastery of the latest technologies, and to create new ones, to drive positive and long-lasting change across the world with their code.”

The partnership Thursday announced the theme for this year’s inaugural event: natural disaster preparedness and relief. The challenge is to create an app that will help people before, during and/or after a natural disaster.

Applications open June 18 and close Aug. 31. Entrants will be given access to IBM’s Cloud, Blockchain, Watson, PowerAI, and Z mainframe platforms to help develop their apps. The Call for Code Global Prize winner will be awarded $200,000. There will also be two semifinalists, receiving $25,000 each. All winning teams will also receive help from the Linux Foundation and IBM for their technology, introductions to venture capitalists, and be encouraged to attend global hackathons. The winners will be announced in October.