SUMMER TOUR: 
TECHIE CAMPS 

We've had a very busy summer of Techie Camps with our partners all over Arizona. From Casa Grande to Tucson to Nogales and here in the Phoenix Valley, AZ StRUT has been keeping lots of hands and brains actively learning about computer hardware, tech careers, and sustainability. All of our Camps use your donated computers for hands-on learning. 

Thanks to support from onsemi Giving Now , the SRP Corporation, and Thunderbirds Charities, AZ StRUT has been able to hit the road this summer and engage over 200 learners who each earned a refurbished computer to take home. 

       "Thank you for my very first computer!"

Here are some action shots from our Arizona summer tour of Techie Camps. Look at all these engaged hands mastering hard drives installation and memory sticks seating while sparking ideas for future technology creations.

Summer Scrubs Students attending a Gila River medical professions summer camp participated in a hardware techie camp and each earned a refurbished laptop in exchange for their hard work. 

Gila River Boys and Girls Club showing off their laptops.

Hardware Techie Camp🔧  with veterans

AZStRUT and Rio Salado College teamed up to support veterans re-skilling through the Microelectronics & Nanomanufacturing Certificate Program — opening doors to great jobs in the growing microchip industry here in the Valley.

Whispering Pines Rainbow Housing Corporation

Whispering Pines Rainbow Housing Corporation

Whispering Pines Rainbow Housing Corporation

Whispering Pines Rainbow Housing Corporation

    What did all these learners tell us about Techie Camp?

😁🤔👍

  "I enjoy how we rebuilt the desktop and how we got to go into it."

  "What I enjoyed the most about the Techie Camp was putting the computer together and taking it apart."

  "I enjoyed the hands-on activities they provided."

  "I really liked taking the computer apart. I thought it would be      impossible but it was actually quite easy."

  "I put together a computer!!"

AZ StRUT Techie Camps introduce students to the world of computing and technology, giving them confidence to explore the possibilities that lie ahead.

Win a prize! 

Guess how many Techie Camps we did in June and July 2025. 

One Computer Donation Can Change a Life

At AZ StRUT, we’re fortunate to work with passionate volunteers and generous donors—and sometimes, their paths cross in truly meaningful ways.

Recently, one of our Board Members won a refurbished AZ StRUT laptop in a raffle. Instead of keeping it, she asked us to find someone who truly needed it. Not long after, Jeremiah—a new AZ StRUT volunteer—shared that he needed a computer to study online and complete his GED/High School Equivalency diploma.

Thanks to our Board Member’s kindness and Jeremiah’s drive to succeed, that refurbished laptop found a new home and a second life. It’s a perfect example of how generosity and determination can come together to spark opportunity.

“Thank you, AZ StRUT, for donating a computer to me so I can work on my GED and find full-time employment,” Jeremiah shared.

We’re proud to support Jeremiah and inspired by his goals. We can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.

Each year, AZ StRUT distributes an average of 7,500 computers to Arizona nonprofits, schools, libraries, and residents like Jeremiah. Your support makes this possible.

Whether you donate funds, hardware, or time, you’re helping to:

    Keep electronics out of landfills

    Educate Arizona’s future tech workforce

    Connect people with the tools they need to succeed

Let’s keep this cycle of impact going.

CALLING ALL USB-C LAPTOP CHARGERS:
 

WE NEED YOU!

Lately AZ StRUT has been receiving laptop donations without charging cords. As a result, we have had to purchase cords to be able to give out refurbished laptops, especially during this busy summer of Techie Camps and Back to School time. 

USB-C charging is a newer technology quickly replacing the traditional USB port. It is now standard on various gadgets, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets which means many people are keeping them for other devices. 

If you have any USB-C laptop charging cords and/or can share this need with your friends and family, we will put those cords to work right away. 

HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR 

ABOUT AZ StRUT?
 

People hear about AZ StRUT in some very unique ways and many go on to make impactful connections. 

Scott Say, a vocational specialist with Rehab Without Walls, was talking to his plumber, Brad Dahl at Dreamy Draw Plumbing, who had done some work at the new Tempe AZ StRUT facility. When Brad told Scott about AZ StRUT, he immediately had an idea that sparked a phone call to AZ StRUT. Scott thought that some of his clients could become volunteers and contribute to the AZStRUT mission. He was right!

AZ StRUT achieves more impact because of our partnerships - new and old. Because of Scott (and Brad!), we are proud to announce a new partnership with Rehab Without Walls, a company that provides comprehensive neurological rehabilitation services in real-life settings to individuals who have suffered neurological or spinal cord injuries.

Scott shared, "My role as a vocational specialist starts with developing relationships with individuals who have the desire and potential to return to meaningful employment. Volunteering together strengthens our relationship and helps them build physical and cognitive endurance. This foundation helps prepare our clients for their eventual reentry into the workforce.  I assist our clients with identifying employment opportunities, resume development, interview practice, and I provide education and advocacy to potential employers.  I strive to provide our clients with the means to not only gain employment, but to sustain it."

His clients have been helping AZ StRUT with our de-manufacturing project - taking apart old computers to prepare the components for recycling. They like their volunteer work so much that they have chosen to volunteer even on days when they had other events that they could have attended. One client shared, "I would rather not reduce my hours at AZ StRUT if at all possible," when he was told that there may be a temporary shortage of authorized rehab hours. 

Our AZ StRUT staff is proud to have them as part of our team and see the positive contributions they are making as they rebuild physical, cognitive, communication, and behavioral skills.

Scott adds, "For my clients with a more technical background and interest in technology, AZ StRUT has been a perfect fit! My hope is that my clients will recognize that, despite their injury, they still have something to contribute to society. My goal is to position each client in the right opportunity so that this recognition can happen organically." 

Learn more and follow Rehab Without Walls

This story has many learning points. There is a place and role for everyone to contribute to the AZ StRUT mission. One way to contribute is by sharing what AZ StRUT does with the people you know, like Brad shared with Scott. 

Have you told your family and friends about AZ StRUT? Please forward this newsletter as a way to share our mission more widely. 

WE APPRECIATE OUR NEW INTERNS

 JULY VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Thank you to the volunteers from SRP who helped AZ StRUT sort and process donations this month. We achieve our mission because of volunteers like you!

Sorting in the shade

Sharing smiles in the warehouse area of our building

More sorting in the shade.

Lunch is part of the AZ StRUT volunteer day!