Co-founded in 2009 by Milwaukee School of Engineering graduates Dan Pastori and Jeff Hanson, Project: Community Computers supplies free technical services, refurbished technology and computer labs to local nonprofit groups. The organization began as an MSOE student leadership group that turned into an independent nonprofit to help address Milwaukee’s digital divide. Project: Community Computers also does work internationally through partnerships with like-minded Wisconsin nonprofits and MSOE, Lawrence University and Ripon College. This entirely volunteer-run nonprofit has completed a little over 20 different projects, including local work with Unity in Motion, Summerfield United Methodist Church and Adullam Outreach as well as installing labs in Jamaica, Kenya and India. Project: Community Computers is always seeking to partner with large organizations who upgrade their technology on a regular basis to help reduce the amount of usable technology that’s recycled. Donated computers are refurbished and installed with a free, open-source Linux operating system called Ubuntu, which makes repurposing easier and is very user-friendly.
“The World Wide Web is 25 years old, but only a third of people in the world have access to Internet,” says Hanson. “The digital divide is a bigger issue in Milwaukee than in a lot of developing countries. There are people across the river that don’t have access to the same technology that you do. It’s a new issue and a growing problem, and that’s why it’s so important to start working on bridging the divide right now.”
Project: Community Computers is seeking volunteers to help with installing and following up with computer labs, marketing, outreach and more. The organization is also looking for a local, ground-level workspace that can double as a storage facility. For more information about volunteering and donating, visit projectcc.org.
