How to Donate a Computer to a Veteran

Overview

Donating a computer to a veteran and his family enables returning soldiers to find jobs and adjust to civilian life with ease.

Step 1

Remove any pictures, files, programs, or software from the computer. You want to make sure that the computer hard drive is empty and void of all your personal information before you begin the computer-donation process.
Step 2

Unplug the computer from the wall and take the battery out of the computer if donating a laptop computer. Unplug the computer from any chargers connected to the wall.
Step 3

Apply the electronics cleaner to the soft cloth or paper towel, and clean off the computer monitor and the exterior of the computer body.
Step 4

Use the air-duster in a sweeping motion, moving between the cracks of the keyboard and any other open area of the computer. Removing all visible dust from the computer before shipping is critical to ensure the safety of the hard drive.
Step 5

Separate the keyboard, power cords, monitor and other parts from the computer and put them into static-free bags.
Step 6

Fill the cardboard shipping box halfway with wadded-up newspaper (about 10 pages).
Step 7

Place the computer, monitor, keyboard, manual and power cords into the box.
Step 8

Pack the rest of the cardboard shipping box with wadded-up newspaper around the computer parts so that they all fit snugly into the shipping box.
Step 9

Seal the box with packing tape.
Step 10

Visit this Web site to donate your computer and submit your receipt information for tax benefits -- http://www.computerswithcauses.org/computer-donations.htm

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Laptop computer or desktop computer Computer keyboard All power cords for the computer Computer manual and warranty information Receipt for the computer you wish to donate Soft cloth or paper towel Packing tape Electronics cleaner One canister of air-duster Cardboard shipping box Newspaper -- at least 20 pages Static-free bags
Laptop computer or desktop computer
Computer keyboard
All power cords for the computer
Computer manual and warranty information
Receipt for the computer you wish to donate
Soft cloth or paper towel
Packing tape
Electronics cleaner
One canister of air-duster
Cardboard shipping box
Newspaper -- at least 20 pages
Static-free bags
Do NOT spray electronics cleaner directly onto any part of the computer, as this will short-circuit the internal electronics of the computer, rendering it useless.
Do NOT spray electronics cleaner directly onto any part of the computer, as this will short-circuit the internal electronics of the computer, rendering it useless.

References & Resources