Teaming for Technology
Bridging the digital divide matters.
Teaming for Technology (T4T) is dedicated to the hard work required to bridge the digital divide in North Carolina by providing refurbished computers, training and technical assistance to schools, nonprofits and the communities they serve. Our goal is to provide this equipment where it may be used to help non-profits, schools, and individuals achieve their goals for success.
Nowadays, companies are constantly upgrading their technology equipment, and private individuals routinely purchase a new computer. Computers considered obsolete in the fast-paced world are still very valuable to our schools and local non-profit agencies where a quality, refurbished computer can ease financial burdens from the high cost of purchasing new computer equipment. T4T helps schools and non-profit agencies keep expenses down by providing refurbished computers loaded with a fresh copy of Microsoft Windows XP Professional for them. Schools and agencies request equipment through an online application process, and T4T prioritizes recipients based on applications that will have the greatest impact toward lessening the digital divide. Volunteers help us prepare the equipment for a school or non-profit agency, and this results in a quality system for our clients being far less expensive than a comparable store bought system.
In order to recoup a portion of operating costs, T4T charges a service fee of $30 per computer. Because this small service fee is not enough to cover the cost of the program year after year, T4T relies on cash donations from caring citizens and businesses to meet the needs of our clients. The actual cost from when a computer is donated to T4T until it leaves the door for a school or non-profit agency is approximately $65 parts and labor.
2006 was a record year for T4T in terms of the number of people at a disadvantage to owning a computer that now have one, the progress made with our community partnerships addressing the digital divide, and the amount of scrap material kept out of the landfill to be reused or recycled so we can protect our planet. Thanks to our volunteers, partners, and donors, T4T worked with over 100 schools and agencies to give 1,752 computer systems new homes throughout North Carolina. These results confirm our commitment to bridging the digital divide in North Carolina and reflect the hard work and dedication T4T continues to exert in bringing the community together to address this issue. Join us in making 2007 an even bigger success. With your help, we can continue to improve the lives of North Carolinians by making technology more accessible. If you would like to volunteer, donate cash, or donate equipment, contact us at t4t@unitedwaytriangle.org.
