Green Star is continuing our efforts to help close the technology gap in Fairbanks by providing refurbished laptops to folks in need to use for distance learning, remote work, and connecting with loved ones in quarantine (see our original post about the project here).
Over the past month, we’ve contacted everyone who had submitted a request for a laptop. Most people who applied received at least one laptop and many in need received multiple devices. We try to provide every family who submits a request with at least one laptop with a camera, while also taking into account specific needs and requests.
We also began reaching out to local community organizations and groups to help connect us with more people who are in need of assistance. We worked with the JP Jones Community Center to provide 20 refurbished laptops for donation through “Bone Builders,” a program run by the Fairbanks Community Food Bank to provide kid-friendly snacks to families in need. We also donated eight laptops to The Bridge, a new program that supports adults at risk of or with Opioid Use Disorder. Green Star is proud to support these organizations, as well as many others, including the Boys & Girls Club, Stone’s Throw, and the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living. Partnering with other organizations means that we can provide as many community members as possible with access to donated refurbished laptops.
Although we have developed methods to refurbish old laptops efficiently and with relatively low costs, we are currently in need of some specific supplies to support this program:
- MacBook power supplies
- SD Cards (any size, but at least 8GB is preferred)
- USB flash or “thumb” drives (any size, but at least 8GB is preferred))
- Blank/unwritten CDs (any size)
- Laptop hard drives (any size)
If you’d like to donate any of these items to the COVID-19 Laptop Project, please contact us at (907) 452-4152 or and we will coordinate with you!
We are also grateful for any donations to Green Star to help support this and other programs. While much of the work is done by volunteers, your donations will help support staff time to oversee the COVID-19 Laptop Project, as well as the purchase of needed supplies such as those listed above. You can support Green Star anytime via our online donation page.
If you or someone you know needs a device to connect to family, perform remote work, or support children who are learning online due to COVID-19 related issues, please fill out this form to be added to our list for a donated refurbished laptop. You can also submit a request by calling us at (907) 452-4152 and answering a few questions.