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. Anyone can book.
Get connected
Help paying for home internet for qualified households, 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
- 2026: 420
In their words
What a working computer changes
“Thank you so much for this computer. It has already made my life so much better because I can now use this computer for work and be more efficient in applying for job in wildland firefighting because of how well this computer works”
Tamarrah Kay, Job Corps Student
“As a struggling student who has faced challenges finding, keeping work and going through financial hardships, I can’t even begin to show you how grateful I am to have been given this computer”
Matthew Schneider, Job Corps Student
“This gift is very special to me, now that I am in my academic study, since it allows me to have access to research materials, to have my classes online with better performance, to be able to finish my work, projects and exams, and it really is a very essential gift that has helped me to be very successful in my studies, I am very grateful for the gift you have given me, and I really appreciate the support they gave me.”
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.
Ways to give
Your old laptop could be someone’s first
Donate a device
Laptops, desktops, phones, tablets, cameras and gaming systems, even broken ones. We use the working parts.
Before you drop off: sign out of iCloud or Google first, or the device stays locked.
Give money
Cash buys the batteries, chargers and drives that get donated devices working again.
Give once or monthly. Gifts are tax-deductible.
Volunteer
Test it. Fix it. Wipe it. Pass it on.
No experience needed. We’ll teach you, and you’ll pick up real tech skills along the way.
In the news
The story so far
NC Rural Center
“How the Brevard nonprofit Through the Trees is helping bridge North Carolina’s digital divide”
Read the story on NC Rural Center (opens in a new tab)EdNC · November 2026
Brevard’s Through the Trees gives a second life to old devices, and a fresh start for neighbors who need them
Read the story (opens in a new tab)Unite Us · November 2026
