Special to IFN
The Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont is in need of used computers for its Students-in-Training program (SiT).
Launched in 2023 with a grant from the United Way of Iredell – Endowment for the Future, SiT is a vocational training course offered at the Boys & Girls Club’s main campus at 1001 Cochran Street in South Statesville.
SiT serves middle and high school students in the after-school and summer camp programs.
“We have three goals for our program – teach our students marketable technology skills, keep e-waste out of local landfills, and bridge the digital divide by donating refurbished computers to those in need,” Program Director Terri Gonzalez said.
SiT accomplishes these goals by using donated computers. Students are taught to assess the devices. Computers that can be refurbished are cleaned; hard drives are erased, loaded with new software, and donated to other nonprofits or citizens in the community who need a computer. Computers that cannot be refurbished are cannibalized for parts and sold to local contractors.
“We are fortunate to have two strategic partners in Statesville. L. Gordon Iron & Metal and Sprout are local companies that buy and recycle our computer parts. Surprisingly, 98 percent of a computer can be recycled,” Gonzalez said. “The proceeds from part sales are returned to our program to sustain SiT.”
SiT has been successful with more than 40 students completed the program.
“We have established a partnership with E2D, a nonprofit from Davidson, which has assisted us with two community distribution events staged at the club,” Gonzalez said. “To date, SiT has recycled 6,700 pounds of e-waste and distributed over 400 laptops and desktops to local citizens and other non-profits needing technology.”
The Boys & Girls Club plans to begin offering technology classes in the community for citizens that do not have the skills to use a desktop or laptop.
SiT has received used donated devices from Iredell Health Systems, Iredell County Government, US Department of Health & Human Services, Provision Document Solutions Company, Coffey, Lovins & Company, PLLC and Pope, McMillan, Kutteh, P.A. and many individual donors. SiT is certified to grant a Certificate of Destruction to donors, which certifies that the device’s hard drive has been cleaned.
If you or your company or business can support SiT, contact Terri Gonzalez at the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont at 704-397-2427/ 615-713-8480 or at studentsintraining@piedmontbgc.org.
LEARN MORE
Visit SiT’s website at https://piedmontbgc.org/students-in-training/
