Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Casper. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Tech For Troops (T4T) was founded in 2013 in Henrico County, Virginia by a mother and her son. The son had friends who had enlisted in the military after high school, and they couldn’t find jobs after they were discharged from the military. They could not afford a computer which is necessary to apply for their military benefits, write a resume, or apply for jobs. He wanted to help his friends, so he and his mother began collecting used computers from friends and business contacts, refurbishing the computers in their garage, and donating them to veterans in need. In September 2015, T4T was recognized for supporting America’s veterans and their families by Newman’s Own and was presented the award by General Dempsey, the country’s highest-ranking military officer at the time. In 2016, Mark Casper became the Executive Director. Since 2016, T4T has helped over 2,000 homeless, impoverished, and/or disabled veterans bridge the digital divide through T4T’s various programs.
To date, over 500 veterans have completed the Veteran Impact Program, which educates in-need veterans in subjects like essential computer literacy skills, resume creation, interview skills, financial literacy, and how to apply for a job online. This program is free to all participants. Along with helping in-need veterans, T4T is committed to being a force for good for our local environment. T4T’s Environmental Impact Program has recycled over 780 TONS of equipment. The program collects e-waste from corporations, local businesses, and individuals looking to responsibly recycle. The data on Hard Drives from the donated computers is professionally sanitized with a method used by the NSA/DoD to securely wipe all data. The best of these donations is distributed to the in-need veterans. The rest are recycled or sold, generating proceeds that go directly back into the mission.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh my goodness, no it has not been smooth. While the community loves our Mission, donating over a Core 2 computer and saying, “I hope this helps a Veteran” then driving away, while great for keeping electronic waste out of the landfill, doesn’t help keep the organization solvent. Our overhead in 2021 was 9%, meaning we impact so much with so few employees. We are in need of Corporate financial support and recurring monthly $ donations. A lot of companies match donations, so please tell your company about T4T!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I guess I’d say that I’m known for my ethics, truth, and passion for the Mission. Keeping my word is (I believe) how we have donors spreading the word about us. When I started almost eight years ago, we had @ 30 donors in the first 6 – 8 months. Today we have over 300 a year and growing!
From all over the country, people are sending us their equipment – so COOL!
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Multiple ways: Set up a monthly financial donation $12.00 per month to help us teach a Veteran or family member how to use a computer (personal cyber security included!)
Individuals can use Give Back box, which is a process that the donor can ship us equipment seamlessly – https://techfortroops.org/support/give-back-box/
Talk to your company to find out what they do with their equipment – tossing it into the landfill is unacceptable! Have them ship it to us. We’ll work the company to get it here!
All donations are tax-deductible.
Pricing:
- 6.50 for a Certificate of Destruction per hard drive
- Flat screen TVS, CRT monitors, printers, and fax machines $1.50 per pound to responsibly recycle
- Hard drive shred – if your desire is for this $12.00 per hard drive
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Mark Casper (L) Steve Jordan (R)
