OStatic

Because It's Much Better to Give than Take: Oregon Recycler's Laptops Stolen

What is it about the holiday season? It throws a spotlight on the best -- and worst -- aspects of human nature. It holds true in the open source world. NextStep, a hardware recycling and refurbishing organization in Eugene, Oregon, was burglarized earlier this week. Hardest hit was the organization's Ubuntu Laptop Program. NextStep provides computers, technology and job skills training to Lane County Oregon's under-served residents, and its Ubuntu Laptop Program is a major source of funding for these endeavors.

That's the bad news. The good news is that helping NextStep might be as easy as looking through that box of hardware you've got in your office.

NextStep would like to raise $6,000 prior to year's end to purchase new surveillance equipment for its existing storefront location and one that's opening in the near future.

Even if money's tight, it's still possible to help. Donations in the form of old hardware components are just as welcome -- and useful -- as cash. Aside from the Ubuntu laptops, memory modules, cameras and other electronics that were stolen, NextStep has been dealing with a drop in hardware donations.

Perhaps your old hardware can't be donated right now, but if December 26th finds you looking at some extraneous components, NextStep has information on giving it new life, and calculating tax deductions (NextStep says shipping costs may also be tax deductible).

• open source
• hardware
• ubuntu
• recycler
• donations
• refurbish
• non-profit

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