General Form Response

This is the form response sent out to prospective volunteers who email Volunteer@ with questions.

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Thank you for your interest in our mission and your commitment to the community!

Anyone who wants to volunteer time at FREE GEEK and can make it to our facility is welcome. Those younger than 16 years old must volunteer with a supervising adult. No computer experience is required. Our facility is mostly handicapped-accessible, and we are sensitive to and can work with people with different abilities.

HOURS: We are open from 11am to 7pm, Tuesday through Saturday. We are closed on Sunday and Monday. Tours are offered at noon and six pm every day we're open. You do not need an appointment for a tour.

PROGRAMS: For more information on the programs below, please have a look at http://www.freegeek.org/volunteer.php and follow the links.

ADOPT A COMPUTER: If you are interested receiving a computer system in exchange for 24 hours of community service, come down to the Community Technology Center at 1731 SE 10th Avenue (2 blocks south of Hawthorne) at noon or 6pm any day that we're open for more information and to sign up.

All community service is done at FREE GEEK, and consists of helping us to refurbish and recycle donated computer equipment as well as doing other jobs necessary to the running of FREE GEEK. No computer experience is required; FREE GEEK will show you how to do any of the volunteer jobs we ask of you.

To sign up to earn a computer, come down at noon or six any day we're open to take a tour. After the tour you can sign up on our waiting list (wait is about 2 weeks at this time). You must sign up on the waiting list in person.

BUILD PROGRAM: There are no requirements for the Build Program aside from the commitment to build six FreekBoxes at FREE GEEK. If you are interested in Build, one of our staff or volunteers can give you a placement interview to determine what you need to learn before going into the build workshops. Build is a very popular program, but there is no waiting list, just the interview. Long-time computer hobbyists and absolute beginners are both welcome. Those who are interested in eventually helping to teach build are Especially Welcome!

OTHER VOLUNTEERING: For those not interested in a free computer, but who just want to help out, share their knowledge, or do community service, we have myriad tasks you could do. We need volunteers to help with both technical and non-technical functions, from day-to-day organization and maintenance to coding, designing testing systems, teaching, writing documentation or grants, or coordinating and training other volunteers.

People interested in volunteering their skills outside of the Adoption or Build programs should stop by for a tour or write to volunteer at freegeek.org for more information. Because these tasks are not part of any organized program, they do require a certain amount of self-reliance, flexibility, creativity and cooperation.

COMPUTERS AND EQUIPMENT: The computers we have available at this time in exchange for 24 hours of volunteer time are called FreekBoxes and have roughly the following specifications: Pentium II, 500-566 MHz; 6-7 GB HD; 128 MB RAM; CDROM; floppy drive; 33.6 or faster modem; Sound card; Speakers; 15" or 17" Color monitor; Keyboard; Mouse.

All computers are loaded with the GNU/Linux operating system and many other programs, including a word processor, a web browser and an email program. Each computer comes with a introductory class on how to use it. To find out more about Linux, the operating system we use on our computers, visit http://www.linux.org/info/faq1.html

FreekBox computers are the only equipment we give in exchange for volunteer hours (no exceptions). Active volunteers do, however, get a 50% discount on most equipment in the thrift store.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND INTERNSHIPS: A number of people choose to do community service at FREE GEEK. We can provide letters to verify time spent at FREE GEEK if necessary.

Some schools offer credit for internships. We are willing to work with your school to make your internship interesting and fruitful for you. We may not be able to satisfy all requests, but there are any number of things you can do. To learn more about our available internships and how to apply, please visit http://www.freegeek.org/internships.

FREE GEEK Community Technology Center 1731 SE 10th Avenue Portland, OR 97214 (503) 232-9350 11a-7p Tu - Sa www.freegeek.org