The Buffalo County Community Response Team is collaborating with Motherboard, a technology company out of Omaha, to host a laptop recycle drive. The drive will be held in the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce Parking Lot, 1007 2nd Ave, September 8th from 11 am -1 pm.
Old laptops, computers, cell phones, and tablets can be dropped off at the Chamber parking lot to be donated to our community. Make sure and retrieve any information or files that are needed prior to donation, all hard drives will be erased. If you cannot make it to the drive you may contact Matt Morris, admin@bcchp.org, to arrange a time to donate.
Recycled computers will be refurbished by Motherboard and provided at a minimal cost back to the Buffalo County Community Response Team to give to individuals in need. The Community Response Team has developed a system to give laptops to those in need of technology for education or communication with family, friends, or therapist. Cell phones and tablets will be given to the SAFE Center. The SAFE Center provides them to their clients or sends them to be recycled if they are not suitable for client use.
The Buffalo County Community Response Team was awarded 35 laptops from Motherboard in the spring to help community members with connectivity needs. The First Lady Susanne Shore purchased refurbished laptops from Motherboard with funds from Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and donated them to the CRT to give to community members to stay connected with family/friends, continue education, teletherapy and other needs.
One organization that requested and received laptops was Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska, which are using the devices for their developmental disabilities services. Kim Buschkoetter, vice president of compliance and communications for Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska, said since they couldn’t have face-to-face programs when the pandemic hit, staff had to figure out a way to stay connected and continue services for participants. She said they realized technology was the best way to do that, but the group didn’t have the devices needed. Receiving the laptops allowed them to continue programs and rehabilitation services virtually.
One community member who received a laptop shared, “It has been helpful for me (to get a laptop), because it helps me continue taking my GED classes. There’s a website named, “new readers” that I can practice my English at any time. Being a mom means any free time you can get, and we don’t have those really often, but I have been practicing and I really like it.”
There is a shortage of refurbised devices due to many people having needed devices during the pandemic. To ensure we have devices to give to our community, Motherboard suggested a community laptop drive. Each laptop that is donated will be refurbished and given back to our community.