Tech For Troops Awarded $1,000 Green Grant
Tech For Troops is awarded a $1,000 Green Grant in the Recycling and Waste Reduction category as part of Keep Virginia Beautiful’s 15th Annual Green Grants program.
Every year, government, non-profit, civic, and service organizations in Virginia are invited to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 that will help address an environmental concern in their community. Grants must focus on one of the following priorities: Litter Prevention, Recycling & Waste Reduction, Cigarette Litter Prevention & Recycling, or Community Beautification.
“Green Grants support many different sustainable projects and programs that are designed at the local level to meet the needs and priorities of the organizations that applied. Project partners are diverse, but a common theme is that they bring people together to improve the natural and scenic environment for all to enjoy,” says Cristi Lawton, Keep Virginia Beautiful’s Executive Director.
Tech For Troops was founded in 2014 in Richmond. Since then, the nonprofit organization has helped over 4,700 Veterans bridge the technology divide through their various impact programs. The organization connects with over 200 volunteers yearly and has recycled over 800 tons of equipment to keep it out of local landfills. In 2024, Tech For Troops reused or responsibly recycled over 800,000 pounds of e-waste, using an R2-certified recycler who minimizes the materials discarded.
Tech For Troops serves the community while making a positive impact on the environment by upcycling hardware. They extend the life of electronics by refurbishing and gifting them to America’s Active Duty Transitioning Military, as well as Homeless and Impoverished Veterans and their families. Many Veterans face two significant barriers when competing in the modern workforce: the lack of a computer and the lack of the skills needed to effectively use that computer. In addition to giving a refurbished laptop to returning Veterans, they provide training and Veteran support services, including suicide prevention.
With funds provided by Green Grants, Tech For Troops will continue their efforts to stop electronics from going into the landfill and reach their goal to recycle 1 million laptop computers. This includes traveling in their dedicated truck to pick up e-waste across the Commonwealth to keep e-waste out of the landfill and into the hands of Veterans.