Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • I have computer equipment that I would like to donate to Tech For Charities. How do I do this?
    • Fill out the short Donation Form and we will reply acknowledging your donation and making plans for pick up or delivery
  • What equipment can I donate?
    • A list of common donation items includes: PC Desktop Systems, PC Laptop Systems, Mac Desktop Systems, Mac Laptop Systems, PC CPU (Partial System)s, All-In-One Units,  Digital Cameras, WebCams, Pen/Drawing Tablets, Hard Disk Drives, Keyboards, Monitors, Switch or Routers, Mice, Network Interface Cards, Tablet or PDAs, Plotters, Printers, Software Items, Sound Cards, Video Cards, and Miscellaneous Items.
    • We look for complete working systems so that the recipient does not have to purchase anything to use the computer. For a laptop this is the laptop itself including the power supply. For a desktop this is the desktop itself, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and the associated power and peripheral cables. Camera and sound capabilities with microphone and speakers are particularly useful in this connected world.
    • In general, laptops are more easily repurposed than desktops. Laptops require less deskspace, are portable and thus may be brought to sites where wireless networks are available.
    • If available, the donor is encouraged to include the operating system software on CD or diskette, the Certificate of Authenticity, the end-user license agreements and manual that came with the system.
  • What are the minimum requirements for donated equipment?
    • Most technical gear doesn't last more than seven years, so we prefer equipment that is newer than five years old.
    • Any equipment that is not working or is more than seven years old should be recycled responsibly. A computer recycler will salvage useful parts and materials and dispose of the computer in an environmentally sound fashion. For recycling drop-off locations in your area, check Earth911 and Dell-Goodwill Reconnect.
  • How do I wipe my hard drive of personal information?
    • Before delivery/pickup of your equipment it is recommended you back up any necessary data and proceed to remove all data from your hard drive or device. The donor is responsible for the deletion of all data that may be contained on the computer or device. There are several products available for data removal and cost for these software solutions vary with several being free. A Google Search will review numerous options. One such free product is KillDisk located at www.killdisk.com. We also run KillDisk on every donated computer as part of our process.
  • I’m not a company, can I still donate computer equipment?
    • Yes! In fact, anyone can donate computer equipment. Individual donations are greatly appreciated.
  • Will my equipment definitely be accepted?
    • It is not always possible to find homes for all donated equipment due mostly to the age and operability of some donations.
  • Do you sell any of the donated gear?
    • We do sell some donated equipment to defray the costs of buying parts to put broken systems back into working condition, and to pay operating costs. No one at Tech For Charities gets a salary or any compensation. We are all unpaid volunteers.

Our Procedure to Clean & Repurpose Your Donation

  • Clean machine & all peripherals
  • Record details of machine in Donations inventory database
  • Clear machine
    • Securely wipe drives of all previous data using certified utility
      • Currently KillDisk: https://www.killdisk.com/eraser.html
        • Save report of wiped drive and provide to donor if requested
      • Recent BIOS may have internal utility to securely wipe drive
  • Checks
    • CMOS battery health
  • Install Operating System
    • Linux Mint: https://linuxmint.com/
      • Default for older machines that may not run new Windows with higher hardware requirements
    • Microsoft Windows may be installed if computer has license documentation
  • Install Office Suite
    • LibreOffice: https://www.libreoffice.org/
      • LibreOffice is a free and powerful office suite, and a successor to OpenOffice.org (commonly known as OpenOffice).
    • Microsoft Office may be installed if computer has license documentation
  • BIOS or ROM settings
    • update BIOS and firmwares to latest revisions
    • clear any admin or user passwords
    • reset BIOS to defaults
  • Hard Drive / SSD health
  • Component Checks
    • Keyboard Test
    • Mouse Test
    • Display Test
    • Ethernet Test
    • WiFi Test
    • Sound Test
    • Camera Test

Tech For Charities was started during the beginning of the 2019 Covid Pandemic to address the increased need for on-line access for students and workers in our local underserved community families. Working computers and devices can make the difference for a student struggling to engage virtual education. Similarly the ability to work on-line can create opportunities for adults to find productive employment. We work with partners like the Princeton Justice Intiative to find disadvantaged clients in need.

The second benefit of our repurposing technology is to keep viable equipment out of the landfill and the international waste stream.

© 2023 Tech For Charities