Goodwill Manasota recently received a donation of approximately 445 pounds of computers and equipment from law firm Boone, Boone, Boone & Koda, P.A. for Goodwill’s Tech Connection program. The mission of the Tech Connection program is to enhance digital literacy in the community by making technology more readily available and affordable, and also provide access to the Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum, which is installed on all computers refurbished and sold in Goodwill retail stores. Items donated included four monitors, six towers, 10 keyboards, and miscellaneous wires and components. After items are donated and recorded, they are examined by specially trained Tech Connection team members. Computers that are eligible for resale and reuse are refurbished through a licensing program that Goodwill has through Microsoft, and the Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum is installed. When computers are donated to Goodwill Manasota, the systems are securely wiped to thoroughly erase any personal data that may remain. If the systems deemed to be viable after the intake evaluation, the computers are given a 3-path DOD wipe, which means they are written over three times. 

Goodwill Manasota