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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1. Keeping old computers out of the waste stream 2. Give your old computer a good home 3. Work with computers and help others 4. Need computers?
5. Need a website?
6. InterConnection donates computers to Katrina's victims 7. Donated website saves man with amnesia 8. Federal Way Ecycle Event a success 9. Volunteer of the year - Steve Tomas 10. New staff 11. Computer donation showcase 12. Website donation showcase 13. Welcome Alan Brennick
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1. KEEPING OLD COMPUTERS OUR OUT OF THE WASTE STREAM
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The National Recycling Coalition projected that by 2007, 500 million personal computers will be obsolete. InterConnection, is doing something about the electronic waste problem - and at the same time, helping people in need around the world. Read about how InterConnection has grown from donating websites to non profits to operating a 5,000 square foot computer reuse center that provides computers to underprivileged communities and electronic waste recycling service to Seattle residents. See www.interconnection.org/resources/wastestream.htm
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2. GIVE YOUR OLD COMPUTER A GOOD HOME
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Got an old computer or monitor? Donate it to the InterConnection Computer Reuse and Learning Center. Volunteers at the Center will upgrade and repair your computer equipment and prepare it for its new home. All donations are tax deductible. All hard drives are erased. For details see computers.interconnection.org
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3. WORK WITH COMPUTERS AND HELP OTHERS
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If you like computers and are interested in troubleshooting and rebuilding older PCs, or you are already on your way to a technical degree or certification, InterConnection can offer you some hands-on experience inside the computer. Volunteers can also earn a free computer after 25 hours of service, if desired. Visit computers.interconnection.org for more details.
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4. NEED COMPUTERS?
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InterConnection continues to improve the quality of its refurbished computers. We recently incorporated a software diagnostic utility that automatically tests a computer's memory, motherboard, processor and hard drive. This process is in addition to our standard process of wiping all drives to U.S. Department of Defense standards, adding additional memory, and providing no less than PII, 350 Mhz computers. These steps ensure that all computers are work properly and can be used for years once they arrive in country. To learn more about the program, including restrictions and costs, visit the website www.computers.interconnection.org/nonprofits.htm or email info@interconnection.org.
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5. NEED A WEBSITE?
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InterConnection's website donation program now offers FREE DOMAIN NAME hosting for donated websites. Our new virtual volunteer coordinator, Meredith Tucker, is available to match volunteers with new projects. To apply and learn about the subscriptions, go to www.interconnection.org/subscribe.
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6. INTERCONNECTION DONATES COMPUTERS TO KATRINA'S VICTIMS
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September 16 - InterConnection donated 12 high end computers to the Louisiana Library System so evacuees can get online and file FEMA applications and search for loved ones. InterConnection donated the computers, NPower paid for the shipping, and Microsoft donated the software.
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7. DONATED WEBSITE SAVES MAN WITH AMNESIA
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Oct 13, 2005 - Just a little interesting incident that shows the strength of your organization (InterConnection): I was asked to take a 64 year old man into the shelter who was being discharged from St.Lucia's psychiatric hospital after nearly 30 years to become an out patient. He had saved money over the years selling cigarettes and sweets to the other inmates/patients, so a few days after joining us he disappeared! I was, after 3 days, contacted by the British Metropolitan Police saying that Mr. Gidings had traveled to the UK on a new St.Lucian passport but had suffered a breakdown on discovering that his family no longer lived at the only address he could remember. It appeared that he had lost his most recent memory except that he remembered my name and the name Cornerstone House. A very enterprising young police officer did a search for Cornerstone House St.Lucia and found our web site! From that he found my telephone numbers! Since then, miraculously the police managed, with info I gleaned from the hospital here, to locate Mr. Gidings' younger widowed sister. They have been reunited for the first time since 1976! So, thank you InterConnection! Juliet Brathwaite, Cornerstone House.
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8. FEDERAL WAY ECYCLE EVENT A SUCCESS
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Saturday, June 11, 2005 - Federal Way Rotary together with InterConnection carried our an electronics recycling event (Ecycle) to raise funds for a Truman High School Computers for the World project. The project provided computers to a school in Namibia, Southern Africa.
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9. VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR - STEVE TOMAS
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As computers started piling up in the warehouse and pallets of computers started going out we realized that we desperately needed an inventory database to keep track of the flow. Database development is expensive and there were no funds to pay for a developer. So with a bit a hope an ad was placed on Volunteer Match for a volunteer who could build an in-house database for InterConnection. A week later Steve Tomas agreed to help out. A few months later Steve created perhaps the best computer center database available. The database includes the ability to track donations by using bar codes and can provide an inventory count and computer specifications for each pallet of computer we send out. Steve provided a product that was above and beyond all expectations. For his hard work InterConnection recognizes him as 2005 volunteer of the year.
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10. NEW STAFF
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We are proud to welcome the following new employees:
Richard Roth - Computer Sales Manager
Meredith Tucker - Programs Coordinator
Michael Yust - Computer Donations Coordinator
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11. COMPUTER DONATION SHOWCASE
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October 7, 2005 - Two computers were donated to Natural Land Trust in Paraguay to support their Voluntarios en Accion program.
October 1, 2005 - Eighteen computers were sent to Maputo, Mozambique to school for street children. The computer donation was facilitated by Peace Corps volunteer Jay Gibson.
September 1, 2005 - Twenty computers were donated to the Paraguayan non profit PAIDEIA. The computers will be used for PAIDEIA's Web Escuela (School Web) program which is creating community telecenters in Paraguay.
July 25, 2005 - Twenty computers were shipped to Guinea, Africa. The computer donation was facilitated by Peace Corps volunteer Carrie Mitchell.
July, 16, 2005 - Fifteen computers were sent to El Salvador for Connect Education International. Computers will be used to establish a computer lab that will be the basis for the technological connection between children in El Salvador and sponsors in the United States.
July 06, 2005 Twenty-two computers were provided to Samoa College in Samoa, South Pacific. There computers will be used to further develop a computer lab that provides computer education for approximately 800 students. The donation was facilitated by Peace Corps ICT volunteer Michael Lee.
InterConnection Paraguay Our representative in Paraguay continues to work with Peace Corps and other NGOs. The following computer donations were carried out within the last month:
- Centro Educativo San Fransisco de Asis - 2 computers
- Escuela Basica Arroyo Claro - 1 computer
- Colegio Arroyo Claro - 1 computer
- Escuela Basica "La Esperanza" - 1 computer
- Colegio Nac. Gral. Alcibiades Ibanez Rojas - 1 computer
- Apoyo Comunitario a la Familia e Infancia (ACFI) - 5 computers
- Fundacion Ko'embota - 8 computers
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12. WEBSITE DONATION SHOWCASE
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Rural Information Services Association, Uganda www.risa-uganda.org RISA aims to facilitate the flow of information within and between rural communities in Kayunga, Uganda. We are committed to the innovative use of information for rural development, and the fight against poverty and disease.
Website designed by virtual volunteer Andrew Boulton.
Natural Disasters Project - Trinidad and Tobago www.naturaldisastersiearntnt.org Provides educational material and exchange of information between young people around the world, in preparation for the Natural Disasters Youth Summit in January 2006 and beyond. Website design by a Virtual Volunteer. Latin America Center for Studies and Cooperation for Development, Peru www.cenlatino.org Working to promote economic development in underserved communities; with special emphasis on children and youth.
InterConnection donated domain name website hosting.
Help Concerns International, Nigeria
www.helpconcerns.org
Mission is to empower the less privileged economically, through the following means: Education, Housing, Healthcare, Advocacy, Counseling, Partnering with the Rural farmers, caring for the sick (Aids and Tuberculosis patients) Orphans, the Elderly (Seniors) and also partnering with the community. InterConnection donated domain name website hosting.
Society for Development and Community Empowerment, Nigeria www.sdc-m.interconnection.org Committed to educate, inform, motivate and inspire individuals and society to positive inspiration and aspirations, dispel human ignorance, ensure collective and global happiness for the betterment of mankind. InterConnection donated domain name website hosting. Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM), Mexico www.cdmigrante.org Dedicated to improving the working conditions of migrant workers.
InterConnection provides domain name website hosting.
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13. WELCOME ALAN BRENNICK
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InterConnection welcomes Alan Rocco Brennick. Born 11/11/05 to Charles and Maria Brennick.