Hardware Donations

When someone wants to donate a computer or related item to Free Geek, they do so in the receiving, or hardware donations. This area is run by volunteers and overseen by staff. There is a Receiving calendar now available for pre-notification of hardware donations staff and volunteers.

What you can learn here

 * Hardware identification
 * Mouse, speaker, and keyboard testing

First, meet the donor

 * 1) Ask if they're here to make a donation. Direct them to the store or front desk if they are not.
 * 2) Remind them that we have a $10 fee for monitors.
 * 3) If they have a TV one person must be able to lift it and we have a fee of $1 per inch (diagonally).
 * 4) Help them unload.
 * 5) As they unload, fill out a tally sheet, indicating quantity of each type of item they are donating.
 * 6) Give them the tally sheet and direct them to the front desk.
 * 7) Finally, thank them for donating! They are the first step to keeping e-waste out of landfills.

Items we do not accept
There are certain items that people might try to donate that we do not accept. You can suggest that people contact Metro Recycling Information Center at (503) 234-3000 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday for instructions on how to properly dispose of these items.

Items that we do accept

 * Most items can be put away in boxes in receiving. Some need to be moved elsewhere in the building. See map for details.
 * If there are a lot of donations coming in, concentrate big items like monitors, systems, and printers first.
 * Filling out a tally sheet is important for Free Geek's database - that's how we log how many items we have collected from the community!
 * There are thousands of devices that can be incorporated into a computer that are not listed here. We take all of them. Additionally, there are many types of non-computer equipment that we do take. If you don't know what they do, ask a staff member.
 * If you are unsure of any item, talk to a staff member!

What to do when times are slow

 * Wrap cords, count them, and pack them in a box. Label box with quantity and type of cord when full.
 * Clean up. Often there are abandoned cardboard boxes to break down and put away, sweeping up to be done, etc.
 * Move receiving boxes to their designated areas - e.g. advanced testing box to advanced testing, steel box to recycling.

What about the big donations?
See Handling Corporate Donations at Receiving