Our Mission
Computers are almost a necessity for any student trying to keep up with today's academic demands. Whether they are enrolled in public school or are home schooled, studies have shown that access to a computer and the Internet has a positive effect on student achievement. Perhaps more importantly, the technology can act as a catalyst for fundamental change in the way students learn and teachers teach.
In order for a computer to have a positive effect on a student though that student must have access to a computer. The schools provide computer access (along with our public libraries) but students often cannot get adequate time online at these computers. Having access to a computer and Internet connection at home allows students to take full advantage of the benefits the technology can bring.
Not Every Student Can Afford a Computer
Montgomery County has 6.3% of its population living below the poverty level and an even larger number of working poor for whom purchasing a new computer would be a luxury they cannot afford. Yet, these are the very students that statistics show are the most at risk of academic failure and could benefit the most from having a computer and Internet access in the home. This is the community the Project Reboot serves.
What Project Reboot does...
Project Reboot's all-volunteer staff accepts charitable and corporate donations of computer hardware, professionally refurbishes it and makes it available for low income families, the disabled and non-profit agencies throughout the Washington, DC area. Since our beginning in 1997, Project Reboot has produced more than 11,000 refurbished computers.
How Project Reboot adds value
Donating a computer is one thing, providing a computer that has been professionally refurbished is another. Many so called computer donation programs simply transfer a computer from one source to another without adding anything. While well intentioned, these programs are not really helping because they often times are providing computers that have not been adequately tested and reconfigured for a new user. We frequently hear horror stories where small non-profits or schools receive donated computers that have had the hard drives erased or removed. Smaller organizations usually do not have the IT support necessary to refurbish the computers they receive in order to make them usable. That is where we can help.
At Project Reboot we are something of a 'middleman' for schools, non-profits and individuals. Our volunteers weed out donated computers that are outdated or that cannot run the latest operating system or software. We make sure the hardware is both adequate and in good repair. As part of the Microsoft Registered Refurbisher® program Project Reboot assures that each computer is installed with properly licensed software appropriate for a student's needs. Finally, Project Reboot volunteers provide both warranty and after-warranty support for any computer obtained from Project Reboot. Our goal is to make sure that our clients don't just receive a computer but receive a good computer that will allow them to further their academic goals.