MNA Livability is hosting a FreeGeek public donation event for technology items 10am-1pm in the parking lot of Meals on Wheels in Multnomah Village Saturday, June 1, 2024.
Free Geek safely & securely refurbishes locally donated technology and gives it back to our community at no or low cost to provide our community’s most vulnerable populations with the digital literacy skills they need to succeed and thrive. What cannot be refurbished is recycled in an environmentally responsible manner. Visit freegeek.org for donation guidelines. This event is free and any donations will be split between MNA and FreeGeek. See more information on the Livability committee’s website.
WHAT THEY ACCEPT
Free Geek accepts nearly everything that plugs in or uses electricity, including computers, smartphones, tablets, printers, TVs, Audio/video systems, related accessories, and much more. We are also a proud participant of the Oregon E-Cycles program, which guarantees convenient recycling of computers, monitors, TVs, printers, keyboards, and mice for Oregonians and many small businesses.
WHAT THEY DON'T ACCEPT
Plastic media such as floppy disks, VHS tapes, zip disks, rewritable CD/DVDs. Styrofoam. Fluorescent light bulbs. Non-rechargeable or leaking batteries (we do accept most rechargeable). Larger Li-ion batteries, such as those from e-bikes, or mobility devices Copiers lacking the ability to print from a computer or network Compressed air items such as CO2 cartridges, aerosol cans, etc. Liquids such as cleaners, solvents, inkjet refill kits, etc. Moldy, sticky or smelly items (volunteers will be handling your donation)
Household appliances, including: Dehumidifiers. Air conditioners. Smoke detectors. Microwave ovens. Biohazards / medical equipment. Items infested with insects or vermin droppings. Blood testing supplies or equipment. Items potentially contaminated with saliva and other bodily fluids (toothbrush heads etc.)
Furniture, including: Wooden pianos and organs Smartboards and whiteboards TV stands Desks
HOW TO PREPARE A DONATION
Please bring as little packaging as possible and recycle any additional equipment boxes through your curbside recycling program.
In order for Free Geek to focus its efforts on electronic reuse and recycling, we ask that you dispose of your paper manuals and software collections at home. Due to licensing restrictions, we are generally unable to reuse donated software; our security protocol requires us to route these disks through our intensive data security process, so these donations take valuable time away from activities that support our mission. In addition, because of their low reuse value, paper manuals are typically sorted into curbside bins.
You can help speed up the processing and recycling of your equipment by: Untangling all cords and cables and coiling them up with a rubber band or twist tie. Attaching power adapters to their associated equipment. Turn Off Activation Lock for Mobile Devices. If you would like your device to be reused it is critical to turn off the activation lock. Even if your device is damaged, it may be worth repairing as long as it is not locked.