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Refurb Group

In today’s world not having a computer (laptop) can be a disadvantage for students or those looking for a job. The Sarasota Technology Users Group Refurbishing Project addresses this issue by donating reconditioned computers to individuals and non-profits in the community. To fulfill the requests for computers, the Refurb Project accepts donated computer equipment. The equipment is checked, cleaned, and has new software loaded on to it prior to going to its new home. To learn more about the Refurb Project: About

Equipment Donations accepted:
Computers, monitors, printers, tablets, peripherals (hard drives, CD/DVD readers/writers and other computer items) on the Windows or Apple platforms. We can wipe your computer, removing all your personal files, just let us know when you drop it off. If you prefer to do it yourself here's one option: Click

To Request a computer:
If an individual or non-profit is in need of a computer or tech equipment and cannot afford to purchase one, the Refurb Group can help. Write a letter or send an email explaining that you cannot afford to purchase a computer to the address below. The request will be reviewed and, if accepted, the computer will be provided. Please provide a phone number with the request so we can contact you when the computer is ready. Individuals pickup the computers at our shop. In the case of non-profits the counselor may provide the contact information of the recipient who we will contact or they may pickup the computer and deliver it to the recipient.

To deliver a donation or pick up a computer:
Location: 3949 Sawyer Road ∙ Sarasota 34233

Hours: Mon-Wed-Fri 10:00am - Noon (no appointment needed)
For other times please call ahead just to be sure someone will be there.3

Telephone: 941-539-7401 (Mike Hutchinson)

Email: refurb@thestug.org

Web site: http://thestug.org/refurb_files/refurb.html

About us:

The STUG Refurb Project began renovating computers in February 2004. Since inception, over 20,000 computers have been donated to our community. Recipients are a diverse population. They include disadvantaged school children, low-income adults/seniors, individuals in recovery programs and others trying to emerge from homelessness or other problems. In 2013 the program was expanded to provide computers directly to students in the Sarasota County school system.

The Refurb Project works with directly with many local non-profits. Counselors from these organizations identify those in need and coordinate getting the computers to the individuals. The Children's Guardian Fund is one that the Refurbishing Project works very closely with to get the computers into the hands of area foster youth.

Environmental benefit. The Refurb effort is also a noteworthy recycling program which avoids adding tons of computers to the landfills. Our estimate, based on an average weight of 8 pounds per computer and 20,000 computers refurbished, has saved more than 70 tons of computers from ending up in the Sarasota land fill. Click to view video.

Here are some of the organizations who have received computers:
21st Century After School Program + 4 Hope Communities AARP + ABA Academy + Atwater Elementary School + Beyond the Spectrum +Booker Elementary School + Career Source Suncoast clients + Children First + Children's Guardian Fund + Community Foundation + Dreamers After School + Education Foundation + Emma Booker + ESOL + Faulhaber Fab Lab + Florida Center for Children and Family Services of Venice + Foundation for Dreams + Girls Inc + Goodwill clients + Guardian Ad Litem + Harvest House + Heron Creek Elementry School + Historic Spanish Point + Indian Festival + Jefferson Center + Joseph Recovery Center + Laurel Civic Center + Literary Council of Sarasota + Living With Dignity + Mothers Helping Mothers + Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church + Newtown Janie Poe Housing Project + Newtown Masonic Temple + Newtown Children's Preschool + Nur Academy + Oak Park School + Our Mother's House + Phillippi Shores First Grade students +Project 180 + Purpose House + Red Cross + Red Cross Ham Radio + Resurrection House + Riverview High School + Salvation Army clients + Sarasota County Sheriff [Re-entry Pod] + Sarasota Housing Authority + Sarasota Native America + Sarasota Music Archive + Sarasota School Students + Sarasota Suncoast Academy + Sarasota Virtual School students + SPARCC + STC students + Students Leadership Academy in Venice + Suncoast Polytech students + Suncoast School of Innovative Studies + Suncoast Tech College students + Take Stock in Children - Manatee +Take Stock in Children - Sarasota + True Worship Outreach Ministry + Tuttle Elementary 2nd Grade students + Voice + Wee Care Christian Academy + Wilkinson Elementary School + Woodland Middle School + Women's Resource Center

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The Refurb Group also handles the Komputers for Kids program. Laptops donated by the Sarasota County Schools are refurbished and provided to local students. kids4komputers.html

	Top of page Do It Yourself Hard Drive Wipe One option to wipe your hard drive is to use ccleaner. If you don't have it you can download it from ccleaner.com. 1. Delete all of your data files. Do not delete programs or apps. 2. Start ccleaner by clicking on the icon. 3. Click on the Tools icon on the left side. 4. Click on the “Drive Wiper” button. 5. In the first selection box titled "Wipe" select "Free Space Only". 6. In the second selection box titled "Security" select the number of passes you would like. The “simple override (one pass)” should be okay for most people. If you choose one of the other options, three passes or seven passes it could take a long time. 7. In the third selection box select the drive where your files were located. It is normally "Local Drive (C:)" 8. Lastly click the “Wipe” button. Let the software run till it completes. It will take some time even on a single pass.
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