Name of business: Computers 4 Cause
Address: 5130 S. Fort Apache, Suite 263, Las Vegas, NV 89148
Phone: 487-5557
Email: [email protected]
Website: computers4cause.com
Hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Owned by: Jim Brock, of Simple Computer Repair
In business since: 2010
Describe the services you offer.
We take donations of working computers and give them to people, families and organizations in the community.
We received many requests from customers who brought their computers into Simple Computer Repair who wanted to donate their older, working computers to those in need rather than filling landfills. It seemed like the natural and right thing to do — fix them up, restore them to factory settings and give them to people who really need them.
Are there any computers you don’t take?
We take only working computers with the hard drives intact, as we do not have proper recycling facilities.
What do you do to get the computers ready for donation?
We clear the hard drive and re-install the operating system to ensure that past data has been entirely removed. We make sure the donor’s personal information is completely removed from the computer before it’s donated, so they don’t need to worry.
As long as the computer works, we will take care of everything. All the donors need to do is bring them into the shop.
How many computers have you given away?
To date, we have been able to help 50 families. We have plenty of families in need and not enough computers. The more donated computers we receive, the more we can donate.
I have seen parents cry because they were able to provide a computer for their family, something that otherwise would have been out of reach for their household.
Computers have become an important part of our lives. They are a necessity for families and nonprofit organizations, regardless of whether they have a budget for it. Parents use them to put together resumes. Children use them for homework. Nonprofit organizations need them to keep their records. They are used for so many things today. This is just one way we can help computers go to good homes.
We take something considered old from one person and make it completely new for someone who needs it.
What is your business philosophy?
We think technology, in many ways, can improve a family’s quality of life. By providing technology for education, training and employment-seeking purposes, families can take steps forward and not have to worry about how the price will set them back.
What’s the most important part of your job?
I think we fill an important niche in the community, and I hope to help more families and nonprofits in the future.
What is the hardest part about doing business in Las Vegas?
I watch technology divide the world on a daily basis. A low-income person is at such a disadvantage without technology if they want to acquire knowledge or apply for a job without going to the library to use the computer. Schoolchildren need computers because homework is assigned and accessed on the Internet. We want to bridge the gap, but it takes time.
What is the best part about doing business in Las Vegas?
I enjoy seeing the kindness of people and their need to help others. Computers 4 Cause was born from customers asking how their old computers could help those in need. People see a need and want to help.
On the other side, the recipients are ecstatic about their new computers. We’ve had some very good moments. It has been very rewarding.
What obstacles has your company overcome?
Many people are afraid to donate their computers with the hard drive intact because they think their personal information will be vulnerable. Without the hard drive, we don’t have a computer to give to someone who needs it.
When a donor brings in a machine, we completely wipe the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. We want them to know their information has been safely deleted. Educating possible donors about this has been a challenge.
What have you learned from the recession?
Computers 4 Cause was created during the end of the recession because people wanted to help. Even in the worst economic times, people were still willing to think of others.