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THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW
YORK

COUNCIL MEMBER GALE A. BREWER

CITY HALL

NEW YORK, NY 10007

www.council.nyc.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2010

***MEDIA ALERT***

Contact : Jesse Bodine

(212) 973-0282 (Office)

(917) 280-6249 (Cell)

Council member Brewer Hosts Day of Electronic
Recycling on the Upper West Side

Who: Council Member Gale A. Brewer and Per Scholas

When: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 10AM-3PM

What: Electronics Recycling
Pick-Up

Where: Council Member Brewer’s District Office, 563 Columbus Ave.
at 87th Street,
Manhattan

New York – On Sunday March 21st,
Council Member Gale A. Brewer (D-Manhattan) and Per Scholas, a nonprofit
dedicated to providing opportunities to low-income communities through
education and technology, will partner for an electronic recycling pick-up day. 
Per Scholas will collect all types of electronic devices (albeit no TVs,
please) and recycle them in an environmentally friendly and socially
responsible way.  Donated computer equipment will be refurbished by the Per
Scholas technology training program and distributed to low-income families
throughout New York City.

Pending Local Law 13 of 2008, mandating retailers to provide recycling
for customers, is currently in litigation leaving thousands of New Yorkers with
even less accessibility to e-recycling programs.  Yet Council Member Gale
A. Brewer and local community groups, like Upper West Side Recycling and
Columbus Amsterdam BID, are currently leading the way in creating an outlet for
electronics recycling, this event being the first of many to come. 

Per Scholas' Computer Technician Training program provides a free
education, along with financial literacy and career development, to adults of
low or moderate income.  The rigorous 15-week program enables students to
begin profitable careers in the IT industry.  Over 2,000 Per Scholas
graduates are gainfully employed, earning more than $60,000,000 in annual
salaries.

Recycled computer equipment is utilized in this program, as well as refurbished
for the 20,000 Children by 2012 Campaign,
a campaign dedicated to providing 20,000 children in New York City with free
computer training and a home computer by 2012.