GRAND RAPIDS, Mich . -- A West Michigan non-profit wants to turn old gadgets into affordable computers for lower income kids and families.
The Geek Group, which is based on Leonard Street in Grand Rapids, is accepting donations of old desktops, laptops, keyboards and other computer accessories.
"We want your junk," said Chris Boden, who founded the group in 1994. "We will take semi trailers of thousands of computers. No charge. We want them."
It's an expansion of their Computers for Families program, which has been providing needy families with working technology since 2012. Now, with a brand-new computer recycling center, Geek Group hopes to dramatically increase their efforts, turning old technology into working computers for people who can't afford the newest brand-name models.
"These families in our neighborhoods cannot go up Alpine and drop 800 bucks on a brand-new computer," said Boden. "That's a month's rent."
Using donated machines and parts, Boden says his group can provide refurbished or rebuilt desktop computers for $25. Whole systems with a mouse, keyboard and monitor go for $50, and laptops sell for as low as $100 each. Those prices are available to anyone in need, no questions asked.
Boden announced the project on his Facebook page Monday morning. You can read the whole thing here.
