Western North Carolina · since 2020
One signal.
One device.
One neighbor at a time.
We refurbish donated tech, get it to the people who need it, and help them feel at home online.
Fresh off the bench
Every purchase funds a free device
Every device is tested, wiped and graded. Pick up at the shop or have it shipped.
Do you qualify?
On SNAP, Medicaid, SSI or WIC? You likely qualify for a free device.
Households under 200% of the federal poverty line qualify too, along with veterans’ benefits, housing assistance, free or reduced school lunch, re-entry programs and more. We serve Transylvania, Henderson and Buncombe counties.
Need help applying? Call (828) 209-8872.
How we can help
A device, a connection, and someone to show you how
Free devices
Computers, phones and tablets for neighbors who qualify. Fully tested and ready to use.
Tech Spa
Free one-on-one help at the shop: online safety, accounts, video calls, everyday tools. Call to book.
Get connected
Help paying for home internet, and a push for better coverage in rural parts of the county.
Why it matters
A laptop is homework, a job application and a doctor’s visit
Plenty of people in rural Western North Carolina still go without a working computer or a reliable connection. That closes doors to school, work and telehealth. We work on both halves of the problem from our shop on Main Street.
Our impact so far
1,845
devices given away
2.5k
neighbors served
698
digital literacy sessions
38
active volunteers
Devices given away each year
- 2021: 95
- 2022: 195
- 2023: 175
- 2024: 419
- 2025: 541
The long way around
Every donated device takes six steps to its new home
01
Donated
Dropped off at the shop on Main Street.
02
Wiped
Drives erased with ShredOS or destroyed.
03
Tested
Every key, port, screen and battery checked.
04
Repaired
Failing parts swapped and the case cleaned.
05
Fresh software
A clean system, updated and ready.
06
New home
Given to a neighbor or sold to fund the next one.
In their words
“I can’t even begin to show you how grateful I am to have been given this computer.”
Matthew Schneider, Job Corps student
“It has already made my life so much better.”
Tamarrah Kay, Job Corps student, applying for wildland firefighting jobs
“A very essential gift that has helped me to be very successful in my studies.”
Dulce Yohana Miranda Monzon, La Promesa student
Play and save
Spot the spicy pillow
When a lithium-ion battery fails, it can swell up like a little pillow. These batteries are inside nearly every phone, laptop, tablet, smartwatch and pair of wireless earbuds. A swollen one is called a “spicy pillow,” and it’s a fire risk. You have 20 seconds to bag every one you see.
Donate a device
Your old laptop could be someone’s first
We take
- Laptops and desktops
- Phones
- Tablets
- Accessories and cables
- Sound bars and desktop speakers (3.5mm aux)
- Digital cameras
- Gaming systems
Old and broken computers too. We use the working parts and recycle the rest responsibly.
We can’t take
- TVs and DVD or Blu-ray players
- Printers and ink
- Stereos and bare-wire speakers
- Household appliances
Your data is safe
Every drive is wiped with ShredOS (one pass for SSDs, three for hard drives) or physically destroyed before a device leaves us.
Before you drop off: sign out of iCloud or Google first, or the device stays locked and we have to recycle it. Step-by-step guide
Volunteer
Test it. Fix it. Wipe it. Pass it on.
Volunteers run quality checks on every donated device, swap failing parts, wipe drives and load fresh software. No experience needed. We’ll teach you, and you’ll pick up real tech skills along the way.
- Testing devices
- Refurbishing
- Repairs
- Photography gear
- Teaching digital skills
- Organizing the shop
In the news
What people are saying about the work
Resources
Guides from our bench to yours
Partners
Dogwood Health Trust
Lake Toxaway Charities
Smart Start of Transylvania County
Mountain Area Workforce Development Board
Replace these names with partner logos.
Give money
Cash buys the batteries, chargers and drives that get donated devices working again
Gifts are tax-deductible.
Stay in touch
Get the monthly newsletter
News from the shop, new arrivals, discounts and the occasional game.