Patty Harshbarger: How to donate your computer

Several local organizations accept donations of used computers and monitors. Donating your used computer is a great way to extend its life and provide equipment to those who can’t afford new in these tough economic conditions. Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries and Habitat For Humanity are three local organizations that welcome computer donations.

Before donating, back up any useful files to a CD, flash drive or external hard drive. Permanently remove all of your files from the computer by completing a Secure Erase or by removing and destroying the hard drive. Some non-profits will perform an operating system reload which will clear off the hard drive and create a “clean slate” for the new owner. This method of erasing previous files is satisfactory in many cases. If you are concerned that no trace of your information will ever be retrievable, then removal of the hard drive or a Secure Erase is required.

Salvation Army accepts functioning and non-functioning computers. Non-working computers are used in their computer classes where clients study computer hardware. Staff rebuilds donated computers and provides them to those in need. The Salvation Army asks that working computers are free of personal files and that the operating system is intact. Online, go to www.uss. SalvationArmy.org then follow the link to their Bradenton site.

Goodwill Industries of Manasota (www.Goodwill Industries.org) accepts computer donations at any of their stores or donation centers during business hours. Goodwill reconditions computers for resale at their stores, and recycles parts they cannot use. Their Web site provides details concerning stores and donation centers and can help you schedule a home pick-up.

Habitat For Humanity accepts working PCs with a Pentium processor or better and an operating system sticker for Windows XP or newer. Computers are prepared for sale at the ReStore in Bradenton or Sarasota. Anyone can shop at the ReStore where proceeds are used to build new homes for those in need. Habitat home owners are provided a ReStore credit to help them furnish their new home. Habitat For Humanity can pick up donations at your convenience. Contact them at www.ManateeHabitat.org or at www.SarasotaHabitat.org.

Each of these non-profit organizations participates in proper recycling of computer waste. County residents may recycle electronics on the third Saturdays of each month at the Lena Road Landfill. Find more information included with your utility bill or at www.My Manatee.org/escrap.

Patty Harshbarger, owner of Computer Renaissance in Bradenton, can be reached at patty@cr-bradenton.com.