Computer Recycling Helps Local Non-Profits

Technology costs can add up, but one Baldwin County School found a way around spending big bucks for new computers through a recycling program.

Sinclair Christian Academy students have started learning math in a hi-tech way. “Any chance we get to add additional technology to their day I think it’s only going to benefit them,” says Enrichment Teacher Meghan Luttrull.

The school purchased 40 computers at a discounted price. “We ended up paying $800 instead of $15,000. It saved us money that we can use for important things for the children,”says Dr. Robert Poole. 

The computers are not brand new, but they helped Georgia Military College put their outdated computers to good use. Bruce Thomas, with GMC says, “They are usable and that’s the main thing,[and] to put computers in places where they are needed helps the community. It helps the state. It helps the nation.”

It’s all a part of a computer donation program, which takes surplus computers from colleges and businesses and recycles them to non-profit organizations.

It’s a program at the heart of Digital Bridges. “We take them. We format the hard drives to take all the information off them, and basically bring them down to nothing. We also make any necessary repairs to make them usable again by other people,” says Daniel McDonald, with Digital Bridges.

The program helps in more than one way, says McDonald,”This not only puts the computers back to their highest use and in the hands of other community members, but saves the environment.

Dr. Poole agrees,”To be able to not only keep it out of the landfill but also to put it to use. I mean its just a win win situation. It’s terrific. “

The Baldwin County Board of Education also received close to 30 of the recycled computers.

Digital bridges hopes that Central Georgia Technical College and Georgia College will also hop on board and donate their extra computers.