Basic Intake Documentation

When someone wants to donate a computer or related item to Free Geek, they do so in Receiving. This area is run by volunteers and overseen by staff. There is a Receiving calendar now available for pre-notification of Receiving 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. Help them unload.
4. As they unload, fill out a tally sheet, indicating quantity of each type of item they are donating.
5. Give them the tally sheet and direct them to the front desk.
6. 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.

Photocopiers Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Major Appliances Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination
Microwaves Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Smoke Detectors Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination
Styrofoam Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Alkaline Batteries Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination

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!

Item	Where It Goes
Systems Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Evaluation 1
CRT Monitors Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Keepers go in monitor testing in the warehouse. Recyclers go in the gaylord outside. Have a required $10 fee
LCD Monitors Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Give to a staff member.
Televisions Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Must be able to be lifted by one person. Required $10 fee, plus $1 for every inch past 17"
Printers Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	See printer triage. Keepers go in printerland in the warehouse. Recyclers go in the gaylord outside. Remove plastic and printer cartridges before recycling.
Scanners Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Scanners with all of their cords and a USB will go to printerland. Scanners without cords get recycled in the gaylord outside.
Speakers Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Put in Basic Testing
Keyboards Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Put in Basic Testing
Mice Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Put in Basic Testing
Laptops Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Give to a staff member
Apple Hardware Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Mac shelf
Cards and Motherboards Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Card and motherboard box
Floppy Drives Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Recycle in the box marked Old Drives
CD-ROM Drives Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Recycle in the box marked Old Drives
CD-RW and DVD Drives Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Advanced Testing Box
Floppy Disks Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Recycle in the box labeled Floppy Discs
CD-ROMs Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Destroy and put in CD box, unless it's a factory pressed linux disc, in which case send to store.
VCRs and DVD Players Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	A/V Box, except in cases of large hardware, in which case take directly to AV cart in hall.
Stereo Systems Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	A/V Box, except in cases of large hardware, in which case take directly to AV cart in hall.
Telephones Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Recycle in the box labeled Copper Bearing Materials
Cell Phones Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Give to staff member.
Wall-warts	Put in box labeled Wall-Warts for further sorting
Cords Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination	Phone, network, and printer cables get recycled. Ask a staff member to help you identify these. All else ask 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