neighBORROW and Goods for Good partner to collect used computers for schools in Malawi

Feb. 6, 2009 - PRLog -- neighBORROW (www.neighborrow.com), a website that helps neighbors and other groups save money and the environment by borrowing and lending items in secure networks, has teamed up with Goods for Good (www.goods4good.org), a charity that matches excess goods from the United States with the needs of vulnerable children in the developing world. Together, the organizations will provide used computers to community organizations caring for orphans in Malawi, East Africa.  They are seeking computers less than six years old, with a working hard drive, keyboard and battery. Users can list the item on their profile at neighBORROW.com or can donate directly to G4G without creating a neighBORROW account.


Based on a shared belief that materials can and should be redistributed from where they are often wasted to places where they can be utilized, the campaign combines neighBORROW's philosophy of "You don't always have what you need, and you don't always need what you have" with Goods for Good’s mission of "Making progress out of excess."  


"neighBORROW's focus is a lend and return model, but it just makes sense that when people are evaluating the things in their homes that they are willing to lend, there are going to be things that they would simply prefer to donate," says neighBORROW co-founder, Adam Berk. Goods for Good's Program Director, Brigitte Zimmerman, adds, "Most of our campaigns are large scale donations from companies with excess inventory, so it made sense for neighBORROW to help us on a targeted campaign with a lower volume but higher specificity.”


In addition to the benefit of filling a void for communities in Malawi that want to train their youth in globally relevant technology, donors are keeping unwanted computers from cluttering shelves, closets and - most importantly - landfills.  neighBORROW and G4G believe the future of giving will be interactive and that boosting one's "Webutation" will outweigh a one-time tax write-off.  The "Gigabytes for Good” initiative not only allows the donor to track the location of the computer in his or her profile, but also converts the donor's responsible behavior into a rating on neighBORROW’s website that has tangible benefits.  "We think that someone who understands the importance of giving to others and not wasting the Earth's resources is someone who is more likely to be trusted to return a power tool or a DVD," says Mr. Berk.

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About  Goods for Good

Goods for Good turns excess into progress. The charity collects surplus goods for targeted distribution to vulnerable children in Africa. Through partnerships with companies in the United States and local organizations in Africa, orphans and vulnerable children are provided with much needed school supplies, clothing and health and hygiene products, while at the same time reducing waste at home. G4G relies on donations of surplus goods from a wide range of companies. Many of the items shipped to children were gathering dust in warehouses or were slated to be destroyed. Volunteers help to sort the items and donations fund the shipment. In Africa, G4G builds on the success of local schools and community centers by supplying them with the tools they need to care for and educate children. On the other side of the world, these same products have an immeasurable worth to disadvantaged children. Together with international and local partners, G4G works to develop sustainable care for Africa's youth.  For more information, please contact Brigitte Zimmerman, Program Director, 212-957-2144 ext. 15, bzimmerman@goods4good.org

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About neighBORROW:
neighBORROW, founded in 2005 and located in New York City, is a "green" web-based start-up that facilitates the borrowing and lending of personal items among neighbors or other groups. The website, currently in beta, uses accountability metrics such as deposits, user reputations and borrowing history as well as customizable privacy settings to help ensure the safety of its members’ property. Users have the flexibility to decide what and with whom they are willing to share by participating in both private (invitation only) and public networks. These networks, or “neighBORROW-hoods,” have been created in apartment buildings, dormitories, offices, and other natural localities, and have been used to pool and catalog extensive online inventories of CDs, DVDs, videogames, books, tools, sporting equipment, baby items and many other durable goods.