Tech Exchange

We had such a great time this past weekend! Thank you for allowing us to be apart of this great event ???? #communityevent

Bridging the Digital Divide with Los Medanos College! ?? We’re excited to share that Tech Exchange recently partnered with Los Medanos College’s NextUp Program, providing 30 refurbished computers to support foster youth students in their academic and personal success. This initiative is part of our ongoing collaboration with the Contra Costa Community College District, working together to ensure every student has access to the tools they need to thrive in today’s digital world. Together, we’re making strides to close the digital divide and create equitable opportunities for all. A big thank you to the amazing staff at Los Medanos College and Tech Exchange for making this possible! ?? Here’s a snapshot of the handoff at our Tech Exchange warehouse—partnerships like this drive real change! #TechForGood #DigitalInclusion #FosterYouthSuccess #Partnerships #ContraCostaCommunityCollege Ulises Zatarain Claudia Garcia Amy Himes Samuel Aristondo

Last week Tech Exchange, Executive Director Ulises Zatarain along with our Development Director Amy Himes and Director of Production Enrique Martinez graciously accepted a $5k donation from Rotary Club of Oakland towards a new pallet jack for our warehouse refurbishing operations. We are incredibly grateful to the Rotary Club of Oakland Allison Bliss Consulting and Samuel R. Miller for their generous support and engagement! Also honored to meet and share the stage with Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Murphy and the University of California, Berkeley band. Go Bears!! Thank You Again Rotary Club of Oakland for kicking off this Holiday Season of giving in such a wonderful way! #donation #grant #communityengagement

Started off our Equipment Donation day with Tech Exchange, Ulises Zatarain, and Samuel Aristondo with a massive pick up at KLA (thank you for your donation!) and now ready to receive your donations at SEMI - 673 S Milpitas Blvd., City of Milpitas, CA. We will be here until 3PM - so come on by and just drop off, or hear how Tech Exchange will put your equipment to use in crossing the Digital Divide in the Bay Area. Compliments of SEMI Climate Equity & Social Impact (CESI) group, led by Justin J. Harris, Climate Equity Collaborative and Wojciech (Wojtek) Osowiecki of Lam Research. Managed by SEMI, Dr. Mousumi Bhat, Jordan Famularo, PhD, Peilun Sun, Kenneth Guertin, PMP, Heidi Hoffman.

?? Join Us Tomorrow for an Impactful Event! ?? Tech Exchange is excited to partner with SEMI’s Sustainability, Climate Equity, and Social Impact group for a special event aimed at closing the digital divide. ?? Date: October 25, 2024 ? Time: 10:00 am - 3:30 pm ?? Location: SEMI, 673 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035 Bring your decommissioned computer equipment to SEMI and help us give it a new life! We’ll be collecting old or unused tech to recycle, refurbish, and repurpose for those in need across the Bay Area. Our team at Tech Exchange will securely wipe all data to Department of Defense standards, so you can feel confident that your contributions are handled with care. Event Highlights: Drop-Off: 10:00 am - 3:30 pm (receipts available) Lunch: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm – Join us to connect and learn more! Program: 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm – Hear how your donations will help bridge the digital divide, providing equipment, training, and internet access to those in need. ?? Current Priority Needs: Laptops, desktops, mini-computers, and tech accessories like chargers and keyboards. We also accept gently used consumer tech (tablets, smartwatches, cameras, etc.). Let’s work together to transform e-waste into educational tools and create digital opportunities for all! ?? SEMI Sustainability #TechExchange #DigitalEquity #CloseTheDivide #TechForGood #CommunityImpact #Recycling #RefurbishToRepurpose

Digital Inclusion Month is in full swing, and we have some incredible news to share! ?? Last week, as we wrapped up National Digital Inclusion Week, we were thrilled to welcome Jorge Pont from Google to our production facility in Oakland, CA. Google announced a generous $100K donation to support our Digital Equity and Inclusion programs across the Bay Area! ?? A huge thank you to Jorge Pont, Lynn Torrel, and the entire Google team for choosing Tech Exchange to help bridge the digital divide in our communities. Together, we’re making digital access a reality for everyone. Let’s keep the momentum going! ??? #DigitalInclusion #TechForGood #DigitalEquity #Google #CommunityImpact #ThankYou #TechExchange Ulises Zatarain Samuel Aristondo Amy Himes Claudia Garcia

Exciting News! Our FY 2023-24 Impact Report is Here! Tech Exchange is thrilled to share our latest Impact Report for FY 2023-24, highlighting a year of growth, community empowerment, and progress toward digital equity across the Bay Area. ??? Here’s a snapshot of what we accomplished together: ? 642 graduates from 45 digital literacy cohorts across 6 counties ? 8,115 tech support cases resolved, keeping people connected ? 1,728 hours of TechHub open service providing hands-on assistance ? 33 interns completing 9,441 hours of impactful work ? 6,742 devices distributed to families and individuals in need ? Participation in 100+ community events to spread digital access ? Collaborated with 75+ programs and advocacy partners ? 70+ Tons of e-Waste diverted from Landfills These achievements would not be possible without the dedication of our community, partners, volunteers, and supporters. Together, we are making a real difference in bridging the digital divide! ???? The full report is packed with stories of resilience, growth, and impact. We invite you to check it out and join us in our mission to ensure everyone has the tools and skills they need to thrive in the digital age. ???? ?? https://lnkd.in/gY6Cr2cG #DigitalEquity #TechForGood #CommunityImpact #TechExchange #DigitalDivide #ImpactReport #BayArea #DigitalInclusion #Nonprofit #CommunityEmpowerment

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, we’re proud to recognize the incredible leaders at Tech Exchange who are driving our mission to bridge the digital divide. ???? A big thank you to Executive Director Ulises Zatarain, Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement Samuel Aristondo, Director of Program Claudia Garcia, and Director of Production Enrique Martinez. Their dedication ensures our community has access to the technology and resources they need. ?? Thank you to everyone who has supported this mission—together, we’re building a more connected and inclusive future! ???

As we continue to dive into #DigitalInclusionMonth, Tech Exchange is honored to stand alongside our community as the City of Oakland announced a transformative $38.5M investment in broadband infrastructure and digital access. For 29 years, we’ve worked to bridge the digital divide, and this historic commitment reflects our shared mission with our partners. Highlights include: 1?? Oakland Housing Authority's $2.5M Free Internet Initiative 2?? The City of Oakland’s $15M Federal Funding for Last Mile Broadband Infrastructure 3?? California Department of Technology's $20M middle-mile network installation 4?? Oakland Public Education Fund’s $1M Student Connectivity Fund for Oakland Unified School District Our Executive Director, Ulises Zatarain, emphasized the importance of digital equity for all. We’re proud to continue our work with these partners to bring access and opportunity to Oakland’s most underserved neighborhoods. #DigitalEquity #OaklandUndivided #TechForAll

Today I had the great pleasure to drop into Tech Exchange's computer refurbishment workshop in the SFPL Main Branch during #SFTechWeek. It was a blast catching up with old colleagues and friends, and it was heartwarming to see the continuing work that Tech Exchange puts into our community both in the East Bay and beyond ?? It was a full circle moment - I was deeply moved thinking of each and every attendee being provided with the skills, equipment, and experience they need to reach their full potential. It was amazing to hear the intrepid questions these tech beginners had, and it was a great reminder for me that talent, unlike opportunity and circumstance, *is* distributed equally ?? Thank you, Tech Exchange, for doing the work to allow these brilliant people to shine brighter and to close the digital divide once and for all. I'm already looking forward to the next one - I'll be there to help out with my beanie on! ??