Norman J. Kleiman, Ph.D., Director of the Eye Radiation & Environmental Research Laboratory in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health recently arranged to donate forty reclaimed computers through the National Cristina Foundation. The foundation provides computer technology and solutions to give people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons the opportunity, through training, to lead more independent and productive lives. It works with organizations around the world to ensure that used computer technology resources that no longer meet the needs of an organization or individual are given a second productive life.
Representatives from the National Cristina Foundation came to the campus in January to pick up the used machines. Many older university computers are simply discarded for their scrap value while they still have a useful life simply because individuals don’t know there are other options.
“ In our current environmentally and socially conscious society, it is important to give back to the community and to those less able to afford current computing machinery,” says Dr. Kleiman, who is deeply committed to the recycling and reuse of equipment and has been collecting and stowing these machines for some time. “In the near future, we hope to expand this program to ensure that most working university computers are rescued prior to disposal and made available for reuse.”

In the photo, Dr. Kleiman (center, in lab jacket), helps load
computers with Chris Pettinato (left) and Steven Berman,
from Columbia’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety,
who helped facilitate this donation.
Text from the Columbia University Med School site:
http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/gc/news/index.html
The donation pictured above was received by Bridgeport Area Youth Ministries which provides computers and training to urban teenagers.