August 2023 

WHAT HAPPENS TO COMPUTER DONATIONS?

Each week our Logistics Manager, Eugene, schedules 5 - 10 pickups from corporations and organizations that fill out a request form on our website. In addition, he calls and visits each of our partner Batteries Plus Bulbs locations. Once back at AZ StRUT the back of the truck opens up to a sea of blue linen carts full of donated electronics. Our goal is to quickly identify what equipment can be refurbished and reused in our efforts to give another life to the donated devices. 

The sorting fun begins. Every Tuesday and Thursday our staff like Jonathan (pictured above) and volunteers can be found moving among  carts filled with computer and electronic waste. Processing 7 - 8 tons a week is the first on-site step in our responsible refurbishing, reusing and recycling circular economy. 

THANK YOU, CORPORATE COMPUTER DONORS

AZ StRUT relies on the generosity and vision of our corporate donors. This year and many years in a row they have answered our call for more laptops, filling the gap for many students and families accessing on-line classes and other critical resources. 

Intel Corporation - one of our founders!

NXP (formerly Motorola, one of our founders!)

BAE Systems

Community Bridges Inc.

Sprouts

First Solar

Delta Dental

Indian Health Services, Phoenix

Universal Technical Institute

Our Logistics Manager, Eugene Roberts, who coordinates the pick-ups from our says, "Many of our corporate donors have chosen AZ StRUT because they believe in our mission and see our local impact. As we celebrate our 25-year anniversary, we are very grateful that they have continuously supported us. "

What does your workplace do with its old tech?

  AZ StRUT still has a shortage of higher quality laptops for refurbishing. 
  Click here to learn about donating your used technology to keep up with       the need for refurbished computers. Ask your workplace to donate us to make community and environmental impact.

Women's Techie Lab = 10 more grads!
 

One way we use our donated computers is in our Women's Techie Lab in partnership with Fresh Start Women's Foundation. Our Techie learners dissemble and reassemble a working desktop computer. Once they are skillful at that, they replace a wiped hard drive on a lap top computer and install and new operating system. After six weeks and 12 hours of Techie Lab, each woman is given a refurbished computer to take home for continued learning.  

As one learner wrote on her end of session evaluation, "Techie Lab was such an informative class that allows you to dive into an intro of what a techie does and issues you may encounter. I can say I built my own computer!"

Using actual devices and a hands-on, practical approach, most of our new Techie Women have increased skills and motivation  for continued learning and working in Arizona technology career paths. 

Lead instructor Thalya Rodgers says, "From week one to week six, I see problem-solving and tech skills growing rapidly. At first most of the women are quiet and look nervous. After six weeks, it's a different story.  They have accomplished so much and are looking for more ways to continue learning about tech skills !"

Back to School for our Techie Labs:

HANDS-ON 
 

Rich Ence, our Education Manager, is moving bins of desktop computers as he loads up to visit one of  our 42 Techie Lab school partners. 42 schools are excited about our support to make their STEM classes more effective. 

Every fall and spring Rich hits the road to deliver donated equipment for our Techie Lab students to dig their hands into, refurbish,  and learn about our environmental mission. 

Techie Labs are another hands-on way we reuse computer donations and create learning materials.