Frequently
Asked Questions...
Q: What does PC Scavengers do?
A: PC Scavengers directs
donations of used computer equipment to non profit organizations, schools, and
public agencies throughout the United States. These organizations train people
with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons to
lead more independent and productive lives.
Q: Is there a charge for your services?
A: No, PC Scavengers does
not charge donors or partner organizations for its services, although donors
may occasionally be requested to cover shipping costs.
Q: Are you a Not-for-profit 501(c)(3)
Public Charity?
A: Yes, PC Scavengers is a
not-for-profit 501(c)(3) publicly supported foundation dedicated to the support
of training through donated technology.
Q: I have computer
equipment that I would like to donate to PC
Scavengers, How do I do this?
A:
- Click on Donate Today
from the
site’s main navigation. - Follow the
instructions on the
site. Each step of the donation process will provide directions on how to
fill out the donor submission form. - Once your donation
is
submitted, our staff will notify partner organizations in your area about
the availability of your equipment. They will contact you by email or
phone when they are able to find a home for your donation. They will also
email you if, for some reason, they are not able to place your equipment. - Someone from the
organization
that your donation has been matched with will contact you to make
arrangements for pick up or delivery of the equipment.
Q: What are the minimum requirements for donated equipment?
A: Pentium III &
Higher CPUs (486 & Pentium
I and Pentium II are no longer accepted). Alternative CPUs
accepted if Pentium III
equivalent or better. Hardware needing repair is considered on a case-by-case
basis where partner organizations have repair capabilities.
Q: What equipment can
I donate?
A: PC Scavengers accepts a
wide variety of items and can usually place useful equipment with one of its
partner organizations around the United States. A list of common donation items
might include:
PC
Desktop Systems, PC Laptop Systems, Mac Desktop Systems, Mac Laptop Systems,
Answering Machines, CDROM Drives, Copier Machines, CPU (Partial System)s,
Digital Cameras, Docking Stations, Pen/Drawing Tablets, Fax Machines, Flatbed
Scanners, Floppy Disk Drives, Handheld Scanners, Hard Disk Drives, Keyboards,
Miscellaneous Items, Modems, Mice, Monitors, Network Devices, Network Interface
Cards, PDAs, Plotters, Printers, Softwares, Sound Cards, Video Cards, Tape
Backup Drives, and Zip Drives.
Q: How do I wipe my hard drive of personal information?
A: Before delivery/pickup
of your equipment, you will need to back up any necessary data and remove all
data from your hard drive. You are responsible for the deletion of all data
that may be contained on the computer hardware. There are several products on the
market for data removal and cost for these software solutions vary (many are
free). Here are some links for more information:
Download.com "Disk Wiping" Search
Download.com has links
to many products designed to help you backup and erase your hard drive.
A great place to start
doing research on data removal solutions is by searching Google. You'll quickly
get a sense of what's involved and thousands of links to available software.
If
you have them, please be sure to include your operating system software on CD
or diskette, the Certificate of Authenticity, end-user license agreements and
manuals that came with your system.
Q: Are there tax benefits for donations by individuals?
A: For individuals, the
charitable deduction for contributions of technology equals the fair market
value (retail used value in the current market place) of the donated property.
We provide a receipt letter upon the completion of the donation process. The donation
is tax deductible for the year in which our partner organization receives the
equipment. Shipping costs are also tax deductible under applicable rules and
regulations.
Q: What are the tax benefits to corporate donors?
A: The IRS code provides
for a tax deduction for property donated to a charitable organization such as
the National Cristina Foundation under applicable rules and regulations. For
Corporate donors, tax deductions are usually limited to the amount of the
donor's tax basis in the property contributed. A receipt letter is provided
upon the completion of the donation process. That letter will reflect the year
in which our partner organization receives the equipment. Confirm eligibility
for the deductions with your own tax advisor. Warehousing and shipping costs
are also tax deductible under applicable rules and regulations.
Q: Will my equipment definitely be accepted?
A: While we make every
effort to place all equipment, we cannot guarantee that this will happen. Due
to a number of factors, including the quality of the equipment and the needs of
our partner organizations, we will not be able to find homes for some
donations. At which point, the items will be recycled.
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