Donate your laptop or used computer!

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

Mods: I am posting here, in LBN, because I felt that this has sufficient "gravitas" to qualify. I apologize if this is deemed innappropriate. Please move at your discretion.

From John Aravosis at Americablog:

Please donate old laptop computers to the hurricane relief effort (seriously)
by John in DC - 9/07/2005 01:15:00 PM

Bob Brigham of Swing State Project and Macon Phillips of Blue State Digital are down in the hurricane region now, helping with relief efforts, and documenting the tragedy for the Web.

I just spoke to Bob, who is an old friend, and he and Macon, along with the local NAACP, have come up with a brilliant idea. They're using old donated laptops to set up centers around the area where people can check in to add their names to lists if they're looking for lost relatives, or were themselves lost, etc. Brilliant idea. But they need more laptops, at least 40 (but Bob said they can scale up to a couple hundred if they receive them).

So, if you have an old laptop computer that is Internet ready (meaning, it's a laptop that can accept a phone cord, has an ethernet card or a PC card for Internet purposes), please consider donating it asap. The donation IS tax-deductible, and if you include your name, address, and the value of the laptop, they can mail you a receipt for tax purposes.

Also note, they can also use desktop computers, and Macs are fine too - but please FEDEX the shipment so they can get moving fast.

Again, I know Bob, this is for real, he's running it - no scam here folks, I personally vouch that this is for real.

You can FedEx your old laptop to:

Louisiana NAACP
1755 Nicholson Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

And again, include your name and address and the value of the laptop if you'd like a receipt for tax purposes. Feel free to spread the message, this is very cool.

[TOOLZ]

1. Great idea.

I have computers lying around that work fine but have been replaced. Glad it's been sitting around all this time and can now get good use.

[Lisa]

2. kick!

What a great idea! I actually am waiting on a used Powerbook G3 to show up -- if it arrives before the end of the week, I will just send it on to them.

[Mabus]

3. kick

[Lochloosa]

4. One suggestion....replace you hard drive....

you never know who's watching...:hide:

[I Have A Dream]

5. Kick

:kick:

[alarimer]

6. I wish I had a working old computer

Unfortunately it doesn't work and I don't know what is wrong with it. Or I would fix it and give it to them.

[Ericmaxey]

7. Don't they deserve better

seems like we should buy them new computers, why should they get old out-dated trash? I personally think the government should pay for them.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

8. I don't think they want to give those po' folk too much knowledge...

Dont' worry...they'll give 'em left over pencils and scratch pads from dubya's election campaigns. With the logo so they'll know who to thank.

[Lisa]

11. you're right -- they do, but ...

I'm already living paycheck-to-paycheck this year as a result of having set aside cash contributions for the tsunami, a local single parent support organization, and now this newest crisis ... I just don't have the >$1k right now to buy anyone a new computer, even if I didn't pay next month's rent, and I suspect a lot of other folks are in the same boat.

Giving a new-to-me machine that I had been planning to use myself isn't a "discard" situation -- but I still wish I could do more.

[420inTN]

9. All of my old PCs are already recycled to famil and friends :-(

But it's a great idea.

Old PCs should always be recycled. Throwing them away is a toxic disaster waiting to happen (and probably already is happening).

[Lisa]

10. e-waste is a huge problem ...

http://www.mindfully.org/WTO/Computers-Go-To-Die23nov02.htm


Actually, it's led to my having bought my last few computers secondhand (and passing them along to others who needed them, rather than discarding them outright).

[420inTN]

12. Yup. That's why I mentioned it. n/t