Options for Donating PCs to Charity?

LFalseProfit on 14/11/2024 - 15:12

We have a 2 dozen or so Lenovo V520s machines (i5 7400, 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD) that we looking to charitably dispose. Already wiped back to clean Windows install. No monitors, cables or accessories.

I've tried to contact the usual recyclers but they either want to charge to take them off our hands, or simply aren't interested (asked if we had laptops instead).

Does anyone know any charitable organisation that would appreciate these? We're not really looking to sell to anyone so the recipient would ideally have a good purpose for them. Our biz is located in Melbourne.

Cheers for any ideas!

Computing Computer Desktop Computer

Comments

  • foxmulder on 14/11/2024 - 15:20

    Recycle? You can get prepaid return label(s) from Belong

    • HeWhoKnows on 15/11/2024 - 17:13
      -1

      Or OP can contact charities direct

  • sarinity on 14/11/2024 - 15:27
    +8

    DadLAN could get some use out of these https://dadlan.au/

    • whitepuma on 14/11/2024 - 15:37

      fellow dadLANer, whattup

  • sumyungguy on 14/11/2024 - 15:34
    +2

    Broadmeadows: https://www.enableaustralia.org.au/it-recycling Perhaps they've already declined?

  • mrkorrupt on 14/11/2024 - 15:51
    +1

    have you tried TAFE?

  • sharkyoz on 14/11/2024 - 16:42
    +1

    Could try a few aged care homes, see if there is a resident wanting one.
    I do the same with my tv's and recorders, always someone worse off than you.

  • pharkurnell on 14/11/2024 - 16:42
    +1

    Ebay $100 each …. put to the IT xmas party fund…

  • RogerLoger on 14/11/2024 - 17:04
    +1

    Computerbank - https://www.computerbank.org.au/

    • sumyungguy on 14/11/2024 - 17:43

      … doesn't accept desktops

      • RogerLoger on 14/11/2024 - 18:34

        The website shows they have a lot of desktop machines. Maybe not taking desktops is temporary? Worth checking.

        • FalseProfit on 14/11/2024 - 20:07

          Cheers, they said last week that they are full of PCs

  • TALL1one on 14/11/2024 - 17:41

    Agree Computerbank Victoria or PCs For Kids

    https://www.computerbank.org.au/donate/
    https://pcsforkids.com.au/

  • apsilon on 14/11/2024 - 19:32
    +2

    I tried back when I was working IT. We turned over stuff every 3 years so it was all decent specs and good condition but charities weren't interested unless they were new in box, schools weren't interested at all, community groups I tried weren't interested in the volume and they wanted a range of software as well. I gave up and found a recycler that would drop off a skip and we'd just toss everything twice a year and even that wasn't easy as most recyclers wanted to charge you to take it.

    • FalseProfit on 14/11/2024 - 20:09
      +1

      Crazy right. This is what I'm learning now to …

      • arkie0 on 14/11/2024 - 20:45
        +1

        My old work had the same problem - so they sold them to the employees for like $30 each, the money from that was then given to a charity

        • apsilon on 15/11/2024 - 08:06
          -1

          That's never a good idea as there's always those entitled ones who believe because they got it from work, and paid for it no less, it's IT's job to support it forever.

          • arkie0 on 15/11/2024 - 08:27

            @apsilon: We had conditions like 1 per person, sold as is, no support, no warranty etc. We didn't have a problem, it was $30 to charity for a $200 computer.

      • Aureus on 14/11/2024 - 21:02
        +3

        If charity doesn't want them, chuck it on Gumtree for free and they will be gone in 10 minutes.

        • pegaxs on 15/11/2024 - 08:43
          +3

          100% this. I had to get rid of about 40 old computers from a school and the local recycler wanted me to pay them, local tip was the same… put up an ad on Scumtree and Fartbook and they were gone the next day. I had about 50 messages within a few hours of putting the ad up.

    • kiitos on 15/11/2024 - 07:12

      That's crazy. And yet there are resellers of refurb PCs that regularly feature as deals on Ozbargain.

      • Leiothrix on 15/11/2024 - 08:00

        Yeah but refubing costs time, specialist manpower and money.

        A charity has a purpose and generally that does not include ewaste disposal.

        • kiitos on 15/11/2024 - 21:04

          True, good point

  • Grunntt on 15/11/2024 - 10:59

    These guys have supplied computers to DadLan amongst others

    Available to pick up quantities over 25 units in Melbourne and Sydney apparently.

  • sprocketoctopus on 15/11/2024 - 11:36

    I have this same problem. After exhausting most of the suggestions made here, all mine 7th Gen or older, go to e-waste. Laptops included, but they tend to be pretty rough - but sometimes I'll repurpose a unicorn (user that has really looked after machine; or had very little use), from use, unlike a PC.

    Yes I could put them on Gumtree, for free or very little, but I just don't want to deal with the dodgy people that will attract. Or give out my address.

  • Lastchancetosee on 15/11/2024 - 14:16

    Apparently you can collect the copper and other elements, sell those, and bin the carcasses.

    Burnings used to take old electronic equipment, so maybe try there.

  • 2esc on 15/11/2024 - 15:18
    +1

    Sell them on Ebay and donate the money!

  • munecito on 15/11/2024 - 23:27

    They would make a great cluster for kubernettes. Home servers or similar.

    Can't believe no charities want them.

    Great machines to run a Linux distro as well for a daily driver.

    Any retirement homes that can take them?

    • sprocketoctopus on 16/11/2024 - 11:18

      Retirement homes want ipads.

      Sometimes when I get a really good laptop 8th Gen —> I will put the time/$$ and recondition/repair/install (good) 2nd hand SSD and give to local primary school - but has to be a compact model - 13" with a good charger. They sometimes have kids that don't have a laptop, so that gets given to them. My only stipulation is it's all just quietly done.

      EDIT: Linux? Yes great idea. But then most people don't want to deal with Linux and the different way updates and installations are done. You end up being a (free) support person for any issues, like how do install xxx program? Where is the EXE that I click? BTDT..

  • Leo Getz on 16/11/2024 - 00:16
    -1

    Please, do not inflict these things on anyone, they don't deserve it.
    Get them crushed to never process 1s and 0s again.
    I fail to understand why people think the young and elderly should use outdated technology because it supposedly runs at their speed.

    • munecito on 16/11/2024 - 13:34

      Come on. Linux mint them and they will be rocking.

      They are good machines to run pi-hole, Plex and other services. Better than an overpriced raspberry pi.

      • xiJINPINGaz on 16/11/2024 - 23:03
        +1

        If it runs YouTube, Netflix, Whatsapp, Solitaire, Online Banking and Facebook its doing 95% of what the userbase wants done.

  • munecito on 16/11/2024 - 19:07

    There's a kid in the news that fixes old devices to send to charities overseas.

    https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104573408

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