GALVESTON, Texas (Feb. 24, 2012) - Tucked away in a small corner on the first floor of the USACE Galveston District’s Jadwin Building lies a graveyard of sorts – a technology graveyard, comprised of gently used computer equipment waiting to be recycled for future use at local schools as part of a federal program that allows for the transfer of excess computer equipment to classrooms across the nation.
“I’m thrilled we’re able to partner with local schools by providing educational equipment to help them succeed,” said Marianne Fullen, computer donation coordinator with USACE Galveston District’s Logistics Activity. “It’s a great feeling to know that our donation is making a difference in the community.”
The Bay Area Christian School in League City, Texas, was the most recent recipient of 18 computers in February and according to Randy Stanford, a volunteer at the school, the donated computers will increase educational opportunities at the academy.
“This donation will allow more students greater access to computers throughout the school day,” said Stanford. “We are very grateful for the donation.”
The excess computer equipment became available for donation following an ongoing refresh of three-year-old computers at the district’s headquarters.
“These donations provide an environmentally-friendly way of discarding hardware, keeping excess computers out of area landfills,” said Fullen. “We anticipate having another batch of computers ready for donation in six months to a year.”
With only 40 percent of computers and 10 percent of computer accessories recycled after its estimated useful life, according to Environmental Protection Agency’s 2011 Electronics Waste Management Report, the district’s donation program helps the Corps maintain its commitment to sustaining responsible environmental stewardship.
Since 1996, the district transferred 1,114 used computers to local schools including Holy Family Catholic School, True Cross Catholic School, O’Connell College Preparatory, Odyssey Academy and Westbury Christian School, making modern computer technology available to students.
Schools and educational non-profit organizations interested in receiving excess computer equipment from the federal government are encouraged to register online with the GSA’s Computer for Learning Site at www.computersforlearning.gov.
For more information regarding the USACE Galveston District’s computer donation program, call Fullen at 409-766-3840. To learn more about the USACE Galveston District, visit www.swg.usace.army.mil. Follow us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict or follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/USACEgalveston.