Donate Your Computer Safely: A Guide to Giving Back

We donate clothes, home and office furniture, televisions, lamps, tools and other things we own to charities all the time. We like helping others and yet we often hesitate when it comes donating our personal computers, primarily for one reason: It’s because we have concerns about safety. There’s no need to worry, as long as you know there are ways to wipe all you data off a computer before donating it. Most people who are concerned about identity theft shred their bank statements, credit statements, credit card offers and more. For the average person, it’s a smart habit because you don’t make it easy for private information to fall into the wrong hands. (Still, there are millions of people still don’t shred documents with private information on it!) Now, consider your unused PC and realize you can “eliminate” the information on it. By following a few steps and processes, you could wipe your personal data off your computer’s hard drive, whether it’s an older mechanical hard drive or a solid-state drive. Go here to learn how to wipe all your data from a PC or Mac. You can even pay someone to do it for you. Once you wipe your hard drive clean and donate it, the next person to use your donated computer will not see any evidence of old photos, documents, spreadsheets, etc.) that were once on your computer. The files are gone. Not only are the name of the files gone but the files themselves have been obliterated. For 99% of us, that’s more than enough peace of mind. That security is the equivalent of shredding your bank statements in a high-quality shredder. After you wipe the hard drive, even if someone were to poke around for morsels of data, they won’t find anything.  Even someone with computer skills, wouldn’t waste time looking for information that “wasn’t there.” If there’s no data, they’re not going to waste their time. It would be like a crook breaking into an empty house. They’re not going to waste time life when it looks like there’s nothing there. They want to hit pay dirt. Why do so many working computers go to waste in closets, when they could be donated to charitable organizations?  Fear and worry. Fear that our computers will fall into the hands of someone who will unearth all our private data. That concern might be valid for government officials, scientists, lawyers, reporters and researchers who have to be paranoid about their work.  Mostly, their worry is being hacked or having their laptop stolen. That’s not the same for most of us, who aren’t on thieves’ radar. Sure, our computers have private information, however, we can delete it. All we need to do is take steps to save all the data off a computer, delete all the files and programs, wipe the hard drive clean. Once that’s done we can hand over our computer to a senior citizen, a Boy’s and Girl’s Club, a shelter for mom’s and kids, or a small-town library. And they would be very grateful for it. Let’s get to the heart of the matter with these questions: There’s a good chance that right now, or in the not-too-distant future, you could have in your hands a fully donatable computer, free of all your private and personal information. Fact is, there are thousands of organizations and individuals across the country that need you to donate your computer Most people who buy a computer every few years may not realize how many people don’t have the means to buy a computer (new or used) or where to find one for free. (Imagine not having access to an email account or the internet, for shopping or catching up on the news. Or imagine your elderly parents or neighbors are in need of one.) There are plenty of organizations that help people in need (kids, the homeless, expectant moms, seniors) with everything from clothes and temporary shelter, to access to computers. Often those computers are used for learning and education more than anything else. These organizations need computers for those they serve, too—and those free devices aren’t always easy to come by. If you think they get new computers donated all the time, you’re wrong. Often, organizations get cash donations and buying new computers i s not likely . Then, with a few simple steps, prepare your computer for donation. Go here to learn how to wipe all your data from a PC or Mac. National organizations. Looking for national groups that are looking for used and/or refurbished computers through donations? Explore these options: The Salvation Army does a lot more than ring bells on corners during the holiday season. They also often use donations to help fund programs for such as adult rehabilitation centers, as one example. Chances are most senior citizens are computer savvy or at least have good basic skills—after all, computers have been around for a while now. However, not all seniors have access to working computers, especially if they’re living on a budget. And it’s doubtful many are replacing their old computers at home. To fill that need, many community-based senior centers and even assisted-living facilities offer computer resources and even computer training for attendees. They will often have computer labs their guests can use to browse online, check email, and more. A free donated computer might be high on their wish list. Not every child in school has access to their own computer. Youth clubs, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, include access to computers as part of their youth programs. Their computer labs are vital for their after-school homework and tutoring programs or learning clubs. Do a quick Google search to find out if there’s a such a club in your area that would love to have another working, ready-to-use computer. Many homeless people need shelter and a chance to get back on their feet. Abused women too, need a safe haven until they can manage to live safely on their own. Shelters for the less fortunate often provide training or job-search. help for their residents. Organizations that help women and their kids need PCs for their residents. Women and men need computers to job hunt, improve their job skills, or create resumes and check emails. Computers at these shelters are not just helpful, they’re essential. It’s possible that a resident would also need their own computer once they left a shelter and moved into a safe place. A donated PC would go a long way toward changing lives for the better. Many times when there is a natural disaster, thousands of people are left suddenly with a home or are in dire need of help. Hurricanes, floods, fires and earthquakes can instantly displace thousands of families. Fortunately, there are organizations that can jump into action to help, including the Red Cross, for example. They’ll ask for monetary donations and collect food and supplies for those in need. For a family or individual who has lost everything, a working computer would help them keep in touch with family and friends, follow the news, apply for aid and so much more. It would easily be a lifeline to a better future.