Your help is urgently needed. The Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) – a not-for-profit that reduces the environmental impact of discarded electronic waste by offering accessible services to help corporations and individuals manage their retiring IT assets – has a goal of collecting 10,000 laptops and computers for Canadian organizations and individuals.
Many charitable organizations are in dire need of used electronics right now, including the Salvation Army, March of Dimes Canada, YMCA, Kids Cancer Care, and the Native Child and Family Service of Toronto. See a full list of charitable organizations in need
An Urgent Need
“All told, we know of more than 1,000 charities in need,” said ERA Founder and President Bojan Paduh. “At the heart of the problem is education and disadvantage. We have kids across Canada living in households where there is no laptop or PC. While the exact number is unknown, if 11 per cent of Canadian households had no internet access in 2019, a device shortage can be reasonably assumed. In the COVID ‘era’ this assumption has been proven correct. Many students do not have access to a laptop.”
But students aren’t the only group in need of used electronics. Charitable organizations in particular find it extremely difficult to use a portion of their strict budget to purchase equipment that would help them create more awareness online, said Paduh.
“More often than not, such purchases must be put on the back burner in favour of more immediate priorities. ERA donations take a great weight off these organizations’ shoulders, allowing them to focus on their immediate ‘everyday’ projects and priorities.”
The ERA’s list of organizations in urgent need is growing daily. The items needed, from laptops and computers to printers and projectors, make a real difference in the ability of charities to make a measurable impact in their communities.
“Over the years we have seen a notable increase in the need for technology through the staggering numbers portrayed on our waiting list each year,” said Paduh. “If everyone gives a little, these requests could be filled in no time. We are looking for your help in making these organizations’ dreams a reality.”
No-Worry Donation
Companies and individuals considering donating electronic devices will often come to a mental roadblock on the point of data security: “How can we be sure any residual data on these devices will be safe?” Unfortunately, unanswered questions in this area will lead to certain conclusions, with the end result being a “No” decision to donating.
“Study after study reveals this great fear among potential donors that data recovered from their old equipment will be snatched,” said Paduh. “Fortunately companies and individuals have no cause for concern when they make a donation through us.”
The ERA offers 100% no-worry donation through services such as:
- Physical, onsite data destruction – The ERA has several AmeriShred mobile hard drive shredders that can be delivered to your location. These machines can shred hard drives, data tapes, servers, and other data storage hardware.
- Offsite data destruction – The ERA can pick up your hard drives and perform data destruction at one of our facilities.
Working with ERA gives you perfect assurance that your data has been completely destroyed, said Paduh. “Regardless of what service the ERA completes for your organization, certification will be provided, whether that’s a Collection Certificate, a Collection Inventory Spreadsheet, a Data Wipe Certificate, a Certificate of Destruction, or a Donation in Kind Certificate.”
Help ERA by booking a pickup of your unwanted devices through our online form
Have only a few items and want ERA to get them next day? ERA offers shipping labels for free pickup from anywhere in Canada. Click HERE
