Your used laptop, desktop, or tablet could be a child’s first computer, or the tool that helps someone land their next job.
Look around your home or office. Chances are there’s an old laptop in a drawer somewhere. Maybe it’s slow, missing a charger, or just been replaced by something newer.
You’ve been meaning to deal with it, but haven’t gotten around to it.
Here’s the thing: that forgotten device could change someone’s life.
PCs for People accepts donated laptops, desktops, tablets, and other devices and puts them directly into the hands of people who need them most. In 2025 alone, they served over 119,000 individuals, and the demand keeps growing.
Why Your Old Laptop Is More Valuable Than You Think
You might assume your old device is too outdated to be useful. But PCs for People’s professional technicians can refurbish and upgrade many older machines, making them perfectly capable for school assignments, job applications, telehealth visits, and everyday computing.
And the need is staggering:
- 12,432 clients who received a device from PCs for People in 2025 had never owned a computer before in their lives.
- 25,576 clients did not have a working computer at the time they were served.
- 28,971 clients were unemployed when they came to PCs for People, meaning a working computer could directly help them find work.
- The average household income of the people served is just $16,046 per year — far too little to budget for a new or even used computer.
That laptop sitting in your closet represents something these families simply cannot afford on their own. Your old device is someone’s first computer. A homework machine. A job search tool. A lifeline.
What Happens to Your Donated Device?
Here’s exactly what PCs for People does with the electronics they receive:
Step 1. Intake & Assessment: Every donated device is inspected and evaluated. Technicians determine whether it can be refurbished for redistribution or should be responsibly recycled.
Step 2. Data Destruction: Your personal data is completely and securely wiped using certified data destruction processes. You don’t need to worry about old files, saved passwords, or personal information.
Step 3. Refurbishment: Devices are cleaned, repaired, upgraded where needed, and loaded with a fresh operating system and essential software.
Step 4. Distribution: Refurbished computers are sold at deeply subsidized prices or distributed directly to income-qualified individuals, families, students, and nonprofits.
Step 5. Impact: A family gets a working computer. A student gets a homework machine. An unemployed adult gets the tools to search for jobs and submit applications online. Your old device becomes someone else’s opportunity.
What Devices Does PCs for People Accept?
PCs for People accepts a wide range of technology donations, including:
Laptops: The most in-demand donation. Laptops from the past 8–10 years can often be refurbished and redistributed.
Desktop Computers: Full desktop systems, towers, and all-in-ones are welcome.
Tablets: iPads and Android tablets support students and seniors who benefit from touchscreen interfaces.
Monitors: Standalone monitors in working condition are needed to pair with desktop systems.
Accessories: Keyboards, mice, power adapters, and laptop chargers help complete donated systems.
Not sure if your device qualifies? Visit www.pcsofpeople.org or contact your nearest PCs for People location to ask.
