Charity

[daynah]

Would anyone be interested in getting together to collect old computer parts, putting them together and getting them to the needy?

Something like this? Free Geek (http://www.freegeek.org/) and See this post (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=411040)

[jbayone]

Yeah, I'm down for that.

[boredandblogging.com]

JSVH is actually part of something similar in Athens: http://www.freeitathens.org/. I'm not sure we can do a state-wide org like that, but It would be nice to start something similar in all the metro areas in Georgia.

[daynah]

Yeah, I didn't mean state wide, that would be a bit much. But I doubt Free IT Athens could help people in Atlanta (I'm near Atlanta, and it sounded like a lot of ya'll were too).

If we can get enough people for it (I like the new design, but it may be hard waving people down tucked away! ha!), then maybe we can get a branch of Free IT "Atlanta."

[boredandblogging.com]

I would suggest joining the ALE mailing list and making the suggestion on there. They are a pretty active group and it would good to pool resources with them.

[theformerprophet]

I'm actually in the process of staring a business down in South, GA (if everything goes well.) One of my goals was to collect donated computers, patch them up with Linux, and give them away. I've already done that for some people I know. It's good to see others "functioning on the same wavelength."

[boredandblogging.com]

Daynah, have you been able to make any movement on this?

[matthewcraig]

http://freeitathens.org/services.html

FreeITAthens sounds like an exciting way to participate in spreading Ubuntu. You can even work off the bill by volunteering your time there. What a great way to get people knowledgeable about the Ubuntu operating system and to enable them to own low cost, Free Software computers.

Since they also make these computers available for non-profits, I suspect lining up a charity in Atlanta would work, especially if the transportation was provided.

[MarshallClan]

Shout Out to all...
I am so glad that there is a group already doing these kinds of things. I found this thread just as I was getting into the search for a project like this. I expect to be meeting some of you soon in volunteering at least!
_-K-_

[sciurus]

Free IT Athens (http://freeitathens.org/) has done work in Atlanta before. We provided computers (http://movementphotos.org/main.php?g2_itemId=7120) to the US Social Forum last summer, for example. Anyone who'd like to volunteer with us or just donate some hardware should send an email to freeitathens@gmail.com

Of course, there's a huge need in Atlanta that we don't have the manpower or logistics to meet. It would be wonderful if a group of Atlanta techies could organize and try to address that.

Anyone who is primarily motivated by the idea of offering low cost computers and doesn't mind a Microsoft environment should contact http://www.techcorpsga.org/

[sciurus]

Daniel Howard (you may know him from the Georgia Open Source Education Foundation) is starting a computer refurbishing program at UUCA (http://www.uuca.org/) that will install linux and donate the computers to local schools, community centers, etc. If you would like to be involved, email him at dhhoward @ comcast . net

[saphil]

I have been looking into refurbish and recycle for a little while. It is surprising that this is not an area that the local goodwill (which trains people) might be interested in. I have a bit of a connection with the homeless shelter in Oxford GA, and we have been considering asking them if they would be interested in getting involved with a thing like this. Maybe they could act as the pick-up agency.

-Wolf