by Josh Riverside
Every year, in millions of homes and offices around the world, old computers are callously dumped to be replaced with latest technology computers. It is a callous act, because not many amongst us can claim to be ignorant of the fact that numerous organizations around us can put the old computers to good use. These organizations such as non-profit charity organizations, religious organizations, schools and a number of families have to sometimes carry on their work with no computers. You could also donate your computer to a person with some disability. You might, in all probability, be providing him with fresh opportunities and a chance to earn his livelihood. So, think hard before dumping a computer. You could be dumping somebody’s chance to earn his daily bread.
When you donate a computer in charity, you donate technology. Most charity organizations are dependent on generous donors like you for their technology requirements. They would rather utilize their limited funds in providing basic amenities to the needy rather than buying expensive computers. There are several organizations that accept computer donations and transfer them to the charity of your choice. Some of these organizations upgrade the computers according to the latest technology and then donate them to the concerned charity or school or even to a needy family. You can also get in touch with a local charity or a family in need of computers and donate directly to them. Several organizations act as a link between donors and organizations that are in need of computers. Certain organizations may also help you to get in touch with individuals, in case you wish to donate to an individual rather than an organization.
Computer donations are a valuable contribution for most organizations and play a very vital role in their development programs. Some organizations use the computers to provide training to people with disabilities or health problems. The organization, therefore, acts as a training center that helps create job opportunities for the disabled. Some people prefer to send their old computers to recyclers or refurbishers who repair and upgrade the computers before passing them on to schools or charities.
When you donate a computer, you qualify for a tax deduction if you donate to a registered charity. So, do not forget to get a receipt of the donated computer from the charitable organization you are donating to.
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Charity Donations provides detailed information on Charity Boat Donations, Charity Car Donations, Charity Clothing Donations, Charity Computer Donations and more. Charity Donations is affiliated with Catholic Charity Car Donations.
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I agree with you completely. Donating an old computer is an honorable thing to do and I’ve done it on more than one occasion. However, you really need to be careful when donating your computer. Make sure you erase all of the information that’s on the hard drive. Deleting it isn’t enough. Someone with a restore program can get it all back. You need a program that meets the Department of Defense standards if you want to make sure your information is really erased from the hard drive. Think about it, somewhere on your hard drive you probably have your name, birth date, social security number, credit card numbers and more. Do you really want someone else having access to all that information? Before I donate any computer I use a program that completely erases hard drives. It’s called DriveWasher and it’s put out by a company called Stomp Soft. The reason I use it is because it meets the U.S. Department of Defense disk sanitization standards. If it’s good enough to erase the sensitive U.S. defense information, I’m sure it’s good enough to get rid of mine.