The Knox County Extension Office will host a Digital Device Collection Nov. 16-20, 2026, accepting old computers, phones and other electronics to be refurbished and given to Illinois households in need.
Donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Knox County Extension Office, 180 South Soangetaha Road, Suite 108, Galesburg, during regular business hours. There is no cost to participate.
The collection is run through a partnership with the Illinois Tech Reuse Network. According to the release, the donated devices will be refurbished and distributed free of charge or at a reduced cost to Illinois households in need, helping connect people to educational resources, employment opportunities, healthcare services and other online tools.
Accepted items
- Laptops and tablets
- Desktop computers and monitors
- Servers and networking equipment
- Cell phones
- Hard drives
- Keyboards and mice
- Cables and accessories
- Circuit boards/cards
"Many people have unused devices tucked away in closets or drawers," said Michelle Kim, community and economic educator for Illinois Extension. "By donating them, community members can help expand access to technology for families across Illinois while keeping electronic waste out of landfills."
Those needing a reasonable accommodation to participate should contact Michelle Kim at mk131@illinois.edu. For more information, contact the Knox County Extension Office at (309) 342-5108.
Background
The Illinois Tech Reuse Network is a statewide program coordinated by the Illinois Office of Broadband that collects retired computers and other devices, refurbishes them and distributes them for free or at low cost to households in need, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity website. The network works with several partner organizations that securely wipe and refurbish donated equipment, and devices that cannot be refurbished are responsibly recycled.
University of Illinois Extension is the public outreach arm of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, serving all 102 Illinois counties. The local unit serves Henderson, Knox, McDonough and Warren counties.