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Community and Internet Resources


Adaptive Technology/Products: Computers

Hardware/Software Donations and Refurbishers

National

State Listings:
CA / FL / GA / IL / IN / LA / MD / MI / NV / NJ / OH / OR / TN / VA / WI
(Official USPS State Abbreviations)

Country Listings:
United Kingdom

National

New Sign Aidpage offers a listing of free or low cost computer refurbishers or providers for various groups of people, families, and youth; most, but not all, include people with disabilities. View the listing for more information on eligibility from each provider.

Alliance for Technology Access is a growing national network of technology resource centers, organizations, individuals and companies. ATA encourages and facilitates the empowerment of people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities. Through public education, information and referral, capacity building in community organizations, and advocacy/policy efforts, the ATA enables millions of people to live, learn, work, define their futures, and achieve their dreams. ATA is headquartered in Petaluma, California. On this site there is a directory of many ATA Technology Resource Centers from across the country. ATA Technology Resource Centers Services may include:

Recycles.org - Nonprofit Recyling Network or Nonprofit Materials Exchange Network, Computer & Office Electronics Recycling & Reuse is a worldwide network of non-profit recyclers, donors, volunteers, and other interested parties. Donate or request computer equipment at this exchange network.

Computers for Schools is a national program that does offer a Computers for Homes Program but not all schools are registered yet. To qualify the MAR Program services all schools registered with the National Center for Educational Statistics. (Check if your school qualifies with a search at the official website: http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator.) If your school qualifies then Computers for Schools partners with schools and non-profits to form a Computers for Homes Program. Individuals can access the opportunity through their school or community non-profit organization.

National Cristina Foundation (NCF) is a not-for-profit foundation that provides computer technology and solutions to give people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons the opportunity, through training, to lead more independent and productive lives. This organization provides donated computers to non-profit organizations that can in turn donate them to individuals. For more information, contact the foundation at 500 West Putnam, Greenwich, CT, call (203) 863-9100 or e-mail ncf@cristina.org.

TechSoup.org Powered by CompuMentor, one of the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit technology assistance agencies, offers nonprofits one-stop shopping for their technology needs. While TechSoup is aimed at the 650,000 small to midsize nonprofits, staff from larger nonprofits will find useful information here as well. TechSoup is committed to leveraging its strength as a community-wide portal for the benefit of the entire community. Search under "Recycled" or "Refurbished Hardware" within 100 miles of your locale on their database.

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State Listings

California

Adaptive Computer Empowerment Services, serving residents of San Diego County, offers rehabilitated and/or upgraded PCs, ready for Internet access, to disabled users who could not otherwise obtain them. For more information, call (858) 244-1226.

Alameda County Computer Resource Center is a nonprofit computer recycling organization that provides computers to those who would not otherwise have access to them. They help disadvantaged, undereducated, and disabled people gain access to technology, computers and the Internet. They teach unskilled workers how to build and maintain computers. The computers that they place with their recipients are refurbished through their Computer Repair Internship Program. For more information, call (510) 528-4052

Community Action Partnership of Orange County, via their Community Technology Partnership program offers donated computers to low-income individuals and non-profit organizations. For more information, call (714) 899-0033.

Tri-County Independent Living Inc., a Center for Independent Living in Eureka, California, offers the Computers For People With Disabilities Program, through which they offer refurbished computers to people with disabilities at no charge. For more information, call (877) 576-5000.

Florida

Alchua FreeNet Computer Recycling is a non-profit, totally volunteer organization with individuals donating their time and effort to help the community through greater access to computers. It is the goal of this group to assist with the legitimate use of discarded computer equipment, rather than have it end up in the landfill. It is also nice to help people into the information age who might not have the opportunity by any other means. Requests for computers are considered on a case-by-case basis by the AFN Computer Recycling Program volunteers. Some of the areas used for determination are as follows: Priority is given to local community organizations, schools, and non-profit organizations. Individuals with disabilities or hardships where it is demonstrated that the computer would enhance the person’s life.

Center for Independent Living of North Florida (CIL/NF) offers qualified consumers an opportunity to participate in computer training. Successful completion of the training will make the participant eligible to receive a computer for their personal use at home. To be eligible for the program, you must have been an active CIL/NF consumer for at least six months and have demonstrated financial need. For more information, call (850) 575-9621 (voice) or (850) 576-5245 (TDD).

Georgia

Friends of Disabled Adults and Children refurbishes and distributes computers to eligible adults with disabilities. For more information, call (770) 491-9014.

ReBoot, a program of Tools for Life, is a non-profit, statewide, collaborative effort of many groups and organizations committed to recycling computers for people with disabilities. ReBoot refurbishes donated computers, grants them to people with disabilities, and trains the person on the equipment. For more information, call (800) 497-8665 (Voice), (866) 373-7778 (TTY).

Illinois

The People's Resource Center, via their Computer Literacy Training and Access Program accepts donated Pentium-level computers, refurbishes them, and gives them to low-income households in DuPage County. They also provide basic computer literacy training in neighborhood training sites around the county. For more information, call (630) 682-5402.

Indiana

Virtual Scavengers Project, Inc., located in Indianapolis, Indiana, donates refurbished computers to non-profit groups and needy individuals. They also provide free training for PC upgrades and repairs. For more information, call (317) 917-9111.

Louisiana

Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network offers the Computer ReBoot Program, a statewide program that offers refurbished computers to people with disabilities. Basic free, computers are available for pick up only at their office in Baton Rouge. Pentium I and newer computers are available for $110 and up and can be deliverd to your home. Applications may be completed on their website. For more information, call (800) 270-6185.

Maryland

Capital PC User Group, Inc., a non-profit corporation in Rockville, Maryland offers Project Reboot, through which they accept computer equipment from individuals and companies, refurbish them and then donate the refurbished equipment to other organizations and individuals. There is no cost for this service to either the donor or the equipment recipient. For more information, call (301)762-9372.

Michigan

Closing the Digital Gap, a non-profit, Lansing, Michigan organization offers low-income residents the opportunity to earn a computer, receive basic computer and Internet training and access, and assist them in making connections with community resources for further training that may lead to employment and/or educational enrichment for participants and their families. For more information, call (517) 485-7581.

Nevada

 ComputerCorps is a nationally recognized non-profit organization, dedicated to improving the computer skills and job opportunities for individuals in the community, while eliminating eWaste throughout the nation. Computer Corps receives donations of computers, printers, or parts; utilizes and trains volunteers to repair, refurbish and update this equipment; returns refurbished and upgraded equipment to the community at little or no cost; provides training, education and technical support to individuals and community organizations; recycles unusable parts and equipment in order to keep eWaste out of the landfills; and develops and maintains TechCenters for organizations and communities. ComputerCorps is located at 6373 Hwy 50 East, P.O. Box 21550, Carson City, NV 89721. Call (775) 883-2323 or fax: (775) 883-7676.

New Jersey

The Tech Connection Assistive Technology Solutions a Computer Center for Children and Adults with disAbilities, provides assistive technology solutions and resources for those in need. TECHConnection is a program of Family Resource Associates (FRA), a non-profit located in central New Jersey that provides services for individuals with disabilities and their families. They have available to loan (on a permanent basis) computers that have been donated to them by businesses and families for the purpose of this program. These computers are recycled and made available upon request. To contact the Tech Connection, call (732) 747-5310 or e-mail info@techconnection.org.

Ohio

Assistive Technology of Ohio offers a statewide computer donation program. Any Ohioan with a disability and a need for a computer is eligible for the program. The program is also open to families who have children with disabilities, as long as the computer is to be primarily used by the child. The application fee is $25. Computers will be shipped to your home. To apply for the program, please send a letter with the following information: (1) your name, address and phone number, and (2) legal documentation verifying your disability (Verification can be a short letter from your doctor, case worker, social worker, counselor, or therapist; you may also provide a copy of a social security statement or other government document of disability). The mailing address is: Rob Knight, AT Ohio, 710 Colegate Drive, Marietta, OH 45750. For more information, call (740) 568-0527.

Project dERE Inc. (The disABLED Electronic Resource Exchange Project Inc.) obtains and refurbishes outdated computer systems and distributes them to people with disabilities. For more information, call (330) 686-6570.

Oregon

FREE GEEK receives donated used computers, refurbishes them and makes them available to their clients in exchange for service hours in their recycling program. The computer systems they create, called FreekBoxes, are loaded with the GNU/Linux operating system and other Free Software. FREE GEEK is located in Portland, Oregon at 1731 SE 10th Avenue.

Tennessee

New Sign Chips-Computers for Homebound & Isolated Persons (CHIPS) trains and equips homebound persons 55 and over to use e-mail and the Internet to overcome social isolation, connect with people and resources, assert more control over their own lives, and contribute to their community in Knox County, Tennessee. For more information call

Virginia

Center for Computer Redistribution (CCR) provides refurbished computers free to low-income people with disabilities throughout Virginia. For more information, e-mail webmaster@freepcs.org or write to CCR, P.O. Box 70001, Richmond, Virginia 23255.

Wisconsin

Department of Corrections’ Computer Recycling Program refurbishes computers and then resells them to non-profit organizations for use in educational or training programs. Individuals with disabilities can request a computer through an agency that will acknowledge their disability or have a Social Worker or Case Worker advocate on their behalf. For more information, call (920) 324-9337 or e-mail doccomputerrecycling@wi.gov.

Castaway Computers accepts donated computer equipment and software from companies, refurbishes the equipment, loads available software, and upgrades the equipment. Castaway then donates the computers to individuals, families and non-profit entities. Along with providing computer equipment for those that otherwise would not be able to acquire computers, Castaway provides training and volunteer opportunities related to refurbishing computers donated to others. Castaway Computers is located in Milwaukee, WI. To contact, call (414) 221-3442 or e-mail at halcastaway@yahoo.com.

Independence First, serving Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha offers a computer recycling program through which individuals can receive a personal computer for their use at home upon completing a computer training program. For more information, call (414) 291-7520.

New Horizons Un-Limited, via our Access Technology Computer Redistribution Program, offers refurbished computers to Southeastern Wisconsin residents with disabilities. To qualify you must have a lifelong disability, documented by a physician, have a limited income and have a commitment to learn about and embrace computer technology. For more information, call (414) 299-0124.

Country Listings

United Kingdom

Computers for the Disabled is a charity that supplies new and used computers to people with disabilities throughout the United Kingdom. They further offer basic computer training to recipients. For more information, call 01268-284834 or e-mail BigPaulH@blueyonder.co.uk.

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