Sara Streeter is a member of the Steering Committee for Free Greek Providence, an organization founded in late 2008 to help “the needy get nerdy.”
PBN: What is Free Geek Providence?
STREETER: Free Geek Providence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that “helps the needy get nerdy” by refurbishing and donating used computers to other nonprofits and to the underprivileged. We have distributed more than 900 computers over the last year alone and in total, about 1,800 computers. These computers come from individuals as well as from corporate donors and universities. If anyone would like to donate a computer, our website provides a contact form to arrange a drop-off at our location. We are currently accepting donations of computers from individuals and companies.
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PBN: As a nonprofit organization has it been tough finding funding for your work? Is Free Geek Providence run mostly by donations or is there a business model behind the venture?
STREETER: Nathan Hutnak founded Free Geek Providence in late 2008 as a branch of the original Free Geek in Portland, Ore. Since then, the organization has grown to include about 200 volunteers on our mailing list. Up until this point, funding has depended on the efforts of dedicated volunteers requesting grants and on limited reduced price hardware sales.
We recently moved into a dedicated space for our organization at 11 Hawthorne St. in Providence, so we will have improved capacity for generating revenue from offering computer classes as well as from recycling and increased hardware sales.
PBN: Free Geek had a Community Camp on April 23, an informal event for techies and nontechies to discuss online marketing and social media strategies. Was it a success?
STREETER: We received great reviews from participants and sponsors, despite the rainy weather which may have influenced the number of no-shows. A mini-community formed around the event that’s keeping up an energetic vibe among our other projects. The success of the “unconference” shows the demand for this kind of bottom-up, person-to-person learning that you can’t get in any other venue.
We concluded from our discussions that modern-day communication is two-way and opt-in. Information streams must be curated; there is no lazy way to participate in the conversation.
PBN: What other notable events or benchmarks has Free Geek had that you’d like to talk about?
STREETER: A notable benchmark was the donation of 800 computers in 2009, 100 of which went to the Providence School System and 100 directly to students. I credit this accomplishment to David Rocheleau who ironed out an agreement to donate computers from Johnson & Wales University to Free Geek.
We will also be holding an open house on Saturday, May 14, at our new space that PBN readers are welcome to attend.
PBN: I understand that you’re looking to expand the organization to Boston, how will that work?
STREETER: We’ve had initial interest in a Free Geek Boston, which will become a project of Free Geek Providence. The organization is currently recruiting for leadership. Outreach to Boston will benefit us through stimulating new growth in membership and augmenting our efforts in a new geographical sphere.
Sign up for our Google Group at groups.google.com/group/free-geek-boston for information and to get involved in the formation of Free Geek Boston.
In the meantime stay tuned to freegeekprovidence.org for news and information on educational events in the coming months, both in Providence and in Boston.
