If you have an old computer or laptop that you can...

If you have an old computer or laptop that you can t use any longer, Free IT Athens is a great place to bring that computer. They will safely reformat your hard drive, install a free version of Linux, and resell the computer to other people who are in need. On the other side of the coin, if you are someone in need, they will offer you a computer at a ridiculously reasonable price so that you can get online and be part of the 21st century.

Additionally, Free IT Athens is staffed mostly by volunteers who have reasonable knowledge of computers. If you live nearby and are looking for something valuable to do in your community with your free time, this is an awesome opportunity to volunteer. If you don't know anything about computers, it may even be an opportunity as a starter volunteer to learn more about how to troubleshoot, fix, and maintain computers. You might even learn something about networking.

This organization is often interested in opportunities where they can help the local community. If your local nonprofit is looking for IT help for a segment of the community that needs computing and or internet solutions, Free IT Athens may be able to come up with solutions including different kinds of grants or outside-the-box opportunities. If you personally don't have the budget for even an inexpensive computer, depending on the circumstance, you may be able to volunteer your time in exchange for a computer that would be useful for you.

I would like to note that because most of the computers that are donated are very old, it's likely that the solution you will receive will be a little slower and a little behind the times. At this price point, Windows is out of the question. And besides, Linux is considerably more secure anyway. The point is, sometimes you just need a hand up, and this is a good place to start. Sometimes you just need an opportunity to give back to the community, and again this is a good place to start.