Together, our fee free NON PROFIT mission 1) bridges the digital divide for disabled individuals, underprivileged students, and non-profit organizations, 2) recycles and refurbishes viable computers 3) intercepts lead and mercury from local landfills, 4) fosters the growth of our membership, and 5) facilitates the education of students of any age. FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT Together, we recover potentially harmful refuse. Discarded computers displace lead and other harmful elements into an unprepared ecosystem. By year 2007, estimates suggest over a half billion obsolete computers reside in the United States. Electronic waste (E-waste) is the fastest growing problem that is currently facing the United States. A study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed that e-waste constitutes 4% of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream and is growing 2-3 times faster than any other waste stream in this country. Research further reveals that only 10% of American households are currently recycling their e-waste. Furthermore, 56% of American Households have functional E-Products they will no longer use. [Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gartner, and AC Nielsen] FOR OUR FAMILIES Data from studies for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) strongly suggest that families that use a computer together for educational instruction are more likely to report improvement on individual test scores. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) also requires schools to develop ways to get parents more involved in their child's education via Supplemental Educational Services. Parity is a "Supplemental Educational Support Service." Data from US Department of Education suggest that certain classes of US citizens do not have equal access to information technology and may become “left behind” as information technology becomes a standard of living within our classrooms and global economy. According to Computers and Internet Use by Students in 2003 (Released Sept. 2006), Table B-1 Percentage of Adults Who Use Computers and the Internet, by Adult and Family/Household Characteristics, from US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, and US Census Bureau: only 23% of Spanish speaking only households use a computer, only 28% of 65 and over households use a computer, only 30% of disabled adults use a computer, and only 35% of individuals living in poverty use a computer. FOR OUR BUSINESSES Planned philanthropy enhances corporate goodwill, brand recognition, employee involvement, and community citizenship. Planned corporate giving complements business strategy as computing assets lead planned replacement lifecycles. Let Parity International become your trusted philanthropic advisor on technology evaluation and replacement. To schedule an appointment to donate your gently used computing equipment, please use our donation request form to submit your contact information. © 2008 Parity International.org, George Fournier, Author, All Rights Reserved.