Free Geek Gives Access to Technology in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS - A new non-profit organization is coming to Minneapolis. It's called Free Geek and its going to give more people free access to technology.

Nearly a dozen people are volunteering to get this non-profit up and running. Last weekend the first bunch of donations came into Free Geek. The building is at 3405 Chicago Avenue South.

Here's how the program works. People in the community drop off any computer related equipment. Right now Free Geek is accepting monitors, scanners, mice, keyboards, harddrives, printers and more.

Then anyone can sign up to learn how to take apart or build a computer. After a person builds five computers, which are sold for a very low price of about 50 bucks, the person gets to take home the 6th computer they build.

Free Geek volunteers are excited to give the community skills that will give them a competitive advantage and access to a powerful tool, for free.

"This is an opportunity for people to come in and be empowered and have a technology experience with the computer," Amanda Luker with Free Geek said. " I think that it could be a pathway for a career for people too."

Volunteers are working very hard right now to fix up a small room on 34th and Chicago. They could use the help of more volunteers. Free Geek will also have accessibility for the disabled.

There are items free geek does not accept like televisions and stereos. A complete list of what they do and don't take is on their website, freegeektwincities.org. You can sign up now to be a part of Free Geek. They hope to start teaching people