PCs for People

PCs for People has a goal of distributing 12,000 computers in 2017. In order to help us reach our goal we need your help. Convince your employer to recycle their electronics with PCs for People. Clean out that closet full of old electronics and drop them off at our office. Consider making a tax deductible cash donation to help us provide computers to families for free.Our mission is to create new opportunities by providing affordable personal computers, computer repairs, and internet service to people with limited technological experience due to social, physical, or economic circumstances. Any family or individual receiving government benefits or living below 200% of the federal poverty line is eligible for our services.In addition to the services we offer directly to families, we offer free recycling and data sanitization services to corporations. PCs for People’s corporate recycling services are extremely simple, cost efficient, helps those in need, and is a better alternative to traditional recycling. We provide a great opportunity for businesses to give back to their communities while saving money.

In 1998, Andy Elofson, a social worker with Blue Earth County, met with a young man who was expelled for misusing school computers. In an effort to help, Andy gave him an old computer the county wasn't using anymore. Six months later, the young man was creating a positive future for himself and others by developing web pages for local businesses and churches.That is when PCs for People began. For the next 10 years, PCs for People operated out of a small office in Mankato, MN. Through the hard work of Andy and computer-savvy volunteers, the office's impact grew. 

Corporate Recycling Services

Our mission is fulfilled through the partnerships we have with over 250 business and government agencies to recycle and refurbish their retired electronics. As a corporate electronics recycler we are able to offer a free, safe, and responsible source for your end-of-life IT asset needs. As an organization we have developed an efficient and cost effective process to address businesses' concerns surrounding confidentiality, security, and sanitization of their digital data. PCs for People provides many of the same services a traditional electronics recycler would offer at no cost to the business. Our recycling services include a free pickup of all retired business electronics and National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) certified data sanitization services.

After recycled equipment undergoes our NAID certified sanitation process, our team of dedicated technicians refurbish all usable equipment, making it accessible to underserved populations of our community.Once refurbished, the equipment helps us to further fulfill our mission to provide affordable personal computers, computer repairs, internet service, and education to people with limited technological experience due to social, physical, or economic circumstances.

Bridging the Digital Divide
At PCs for People we work hard to provide these services because we know the importance of having affordable access to technology in the home. Statistically speaking, better access leads to an increase in graduation rates, economic output, and long-term employment.
A big portion of our outreach outside of the Minneapolis/St Paul metro area is reflected through our PCs for Kids and PCs for Vibrant Communities programs. PCs for Kids is our response to the digital divide within the school system. The RAND Corporation's research found that 'technology literacy plays an important role in a child's ability to succeed in school and later life.' Since 2011, our regional partnerships across the Midwest with school districts and Head Start organizations have given thousands of low-income students the tools needed to develop skills for post-secondary success and future careers.
PCs for Vibrant Communities is a developmental initiative designed to connect adults looking for employment with a home PC through strategic partnerships with workforce centers. According to estimates by the U.S. Commerce Department, 95% of all new jobs created require significant computer skills. Our goal is to promote digital skills to prepare them for finding employment and building a career.

Recycling

PCs for People end-of-lifecycle computer management is extremely simple, cost efficient, and helps those in need. When equipment is collected that cannot be refurbished, we follow a strict no landfill policy. 100% of usable parts are pulled and utilized in our refurbishing process. Any non-functional parts are broken into their natural components and recycled locally with an independently audited recycling partner. More than 95% of waste is recycled to its original form and over 4% is used for renewable energy.For corporations providing working computer equipment, we also offer to take away non-functional equipment as well. We offer this service free of charge.*

Below is the process PCs for People uses to sanitize or physically destroy all hard drives that have been requested to receive the NAID certified data sanitization process.

• At all times during the data sanitization process, a customer's hard drives are under the supervision of an Access Employee. An Access Employee has undergone a criminal background check, drug screening, employment history verification, and an I-9 verification. In addition, they have signed a confidentiality agreement verifying they will protect the confidentiality of all information taken into custody by PCs for People.
• When PCs for People staff arrive to collect computer equipment at a customer's facility, the customer and PCs for People staff will complete the transfer of ownership form. Once the paperwork has been completed and the customer has indicated the hard drives must be sanitized using the NAID certified process, the computer equipment is loaded into a vehicle for transportation to PCs for People's secure wiping warehouse.
• Upon arrival at PCs for People's warehouse, computer equipment is unloaded from the vehicle into a secure staging area. Once unloaded, the hard drives are physically removed from the computer cases and placed in a container labeled with the customer's information. 
• All hard drives that enter the secure storage area are physically destroyed or erased by an Access Employee. Only PCs for People Access Employees are allowed to work in this area.
• During the sanitization process, each hard drive serial number is scanned with a bar code reader and recorded in a spreadsheet. If a hard drive is successfully sanitized, it is labeled indicating 1) all data has been wiped 2) the name of the technician sanitizing the data. If a hard drive fails the sanitization process.
• PCs for People Access Employees ensure drives are being fully sanitized by following a strict quality control process. One device is sampled for quality control per fifty devices and at least one device needs to be sampled for each customer lot number. When a drive is randomly selected for the quality control inspection, it is inspected by a different technician than the one who performed the data wipe.
• If a hard drive fails to be sanitized by our software process, it is labeled for physical destruction. All media that has failed the sanitization process is physically destroyed within the secure area immediately after it fails the process. 
• Within ten business days the customer will receive a single PDF file that contains the signed transfer of ownership, certificate of destruction, and data sanitization log. 

Corporate Services

PCs for People will come to your business's basement, storage closet, or loading dock to take all of your e-waste free of charge. Like other recyclers, we'll clean and refurbish the best units for redistribution. But that's where the similarity ends. Only PCs for People can offer you the following:

• Free pickup of all e-waste
• Free NAID-certified data sanitation of all hard drives
• 100% no landfill policy
• Volunteer and Intern Training
• Employment Opportunities for the Disabled
• Exclusive distribution to nonprofits, low-income individuals, families, and those with disabilities.