How Old Business Macs Will Help Kids Meet Their Future Role Models [Sponsored Post]

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BigSiouxland
Still useful after retirement -- this laptop computer used to work in a bank but now helps children facing adversity to thrive in a nationwide mentoring program.

 

This post is brought to you by Chase — innovator of the Tech Warehouse program. The program was designed to leverage the benefits of sustainable management of resources at their end of life in order to make a positive impact on the world. Learn more here.

Computers that were once employed for business purposes at JPMorgan Chase and have reached their end of usefulness are not going to waste anymore, thanks to the the Tech Warehouse program.

Through Tech Warehouse, JPMorgan Chase and Good360 are providing non-profit organizations and schools with refurbished computers that are equipped with basic peripherals and OS software, allowing them to enhance their tech capabilities…. and their local communities.

Tech Warehouse is a JPMorgan Chase Technology for Social Good program formed in conjunction with Good360 that has been designed to assist nonprofit organizations and schools with contributions of ex-Chase refurbished technology. The goals are to enhance communities, improve individual productivity, and address zero waste initiatives. This is the first time Good360 has partnered with a corporation.

As part of its commitment to making a meaningful difference to communities, Chase cleans, refurbishes, and tests the computers and then donates them to Good360. Since the launch of the program in April 2012, Chase has donated 628 computers to 186 nonprofits in Good360’s network and is getting ready to donate 1000 more, says Jenny Bertolette, Manager of Communications & Public Relations at Good360. The computers are mostly Dell Latitude Laptops, and also include desktop kits (Dell OptiPlex) along with mice, keyboards, and monitors.

According to the Tech Warehouse program, qualified non-profits will be permitted to acquire up to 15 products annually and five per quarter. “We do not have any unclaimed computers. In fact, the supply goes rather quickly,” explained Jenny.

Under the new partnership, Chase will replace hard drives in more than 3000 computers and connect with Good360’s network of 30,000 qualified charities through the world’s largest online product donation marketplace. These clean and tested refurbished computers will be made available to nonprofits over the next year. Donations must be used for the primary purpose of serving the ill, needy, or youth and cannot be resold. Charities will be asked to pay $65 to cover shipping and handling fees, and the program will also require recipients properly to recycle the computers when they reach their end of life.

The organizations that benefit from Tech Warehouse include youth development programs, community foundations, human service organizations, international relief, food banks, education services and schools, developmentally disabled service centers, family services, homeless shelters, arts and education, and military/veteran associations, among many others.

Although there have not been any Apple products donated by Chase to date, some Macs that are reaching their end of use will be eligible for the program soon. “But I want to keep my desktop Mac for now!” added Jenny.

I contacted one of the nonprofits that received a donation of computer hardware, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Siouxland. This organization’s mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. The program’s vision is that all children achieve success in life. The mentoring organization works by pairing children (“Littles”) with a caring role model (“Bigs”). The results have had a dramatic positive effect on participating Littles, with a nationwide study showing increased confidence, grades, and social skills.

“As a nonprofit, our technology needs always get pushed to the bottom of a wish list. This donation made it possible for us to acquire four laptops to replace the 8-year-old dinosaur desktops in need of serious upgrading. The staff at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Siouxland can now be mobile and work efficiently to serve the youth in the Sioux City, Iowa area. Thank you to Good360, Tech Warehouse, and JPMorgan for making this happen,”  said Teresa Magnussen, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Siouxland’s Development Director.

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Demi Dunn uses one of four newly donated computers from the Tech Warehouse program.

 

 

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