Free Geek

Mission

Free Geek is committed to including everyone in our digital future. We sustainably reuse technology, enable digital access and provide education to create a community that empowers people to realize their potential.

Bottom Line for Portland

There are 160,000 Oregonians who don't have access to a computer and our objective is to make sure everyone has access to technology in this growing digital world. We are committed to addressing the three central pillars of digital inclusion: access to technology (through putting free devices into the hands of individuals who cannot afford them), access to the internet (connecting our community to the resources they need to obtain affordable broadband), and education (through our foundational digital literacy programs). A donation to Free Geek provides these services to the most marginalized communities, including everyone in our digital future as well as supporting responsible e-waste recycling - preventing immediate and long-term ecosystem harm. 

In 2022 alone, we:

– Collected nearly 1.5 million pounds of electronic waste from over 6,000 in-kind donors, bringing our total to almost 80 million lbs of e-waste diverted from landfills. 

– Refurbished, tested and sold over 17,000 devices.

– Refurbished nearly 9,000 computers, including over 6,000 laptops.

– Distributed free computers to nearly 600 K-12 students and over 300 adults with a household income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

– Conducted over 1,300 Digital Navigation engagements to provide bilingual digital literacy to vulnerable populations.

– Distributed over 1,100 computers to SNAP recipients statewide.

Quote

“It truly takes a village to bridge the gap on the digital divide and connect our community members most impact by digital inequality to the resources they want and need. With your support, we can close this gap of 160,000 Oregonians and include EVERYONE in our digital future.”

• - Free Geek Executive Director, Juan Muro, Jr.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Our programs serve historically marginalized people from oppressed populations, which means we MUST embrace our work as active DEI work. The issues we work to tackle disproportionately affect these communities- from climate change to the technology gap. In the last year, we have taken an especially close look at our history and how we can do better by our BIPOC and other marginalized community members. Our vision is a Free Geek whose leadership and staff are people who actually represent the community Free Geek serves-- or people who have received our services. That means continual work on evaluating what our practices are so that we get better at the work. We’ve changed hiring practices, made clear internal policy changes to better protect both staff and participants, lifting up voices and organizations often spoken over prioritizing the most marginalized demographic; and we continue to evolve and adapt as an organization. 

Incentives

Intel will be matching ALL donations up to $10,000.

Partner(s)

Business Partners:

• First Tech Credit Union, the nation’s premier credit union serving the world’s leading technology-oriented companies and their employees.

Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, developing technologies, products, and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live.

Non Profit Partners:

Guerreras Latinas who empowers and serves over 1,200 Latinas and families by building holistically healthy families and thriving communities through education, resources and information.

School House Supplies whose ultimate goal is to ensure that every child has access to learning tools that allow them to achieve academic success, regardless of their family’s income or racial/ethnic identity.