Babson student expands nonprofit that refurbishes computers

As a teen, Babson College student Dylan Zajac and his friends would spend hours afterschool in New York City bargaining for old computers at thrift stores around the city.

For them, it was a fun way to make some money. But Zajac also came to notice how much technology was being wasted, and how much was being thrown away.

That's why, in 2019, he founded the nonprofit, Computers 4 People, in Hoboken, New Jersey. The organizations reduces e-waste by accepting donations of used computers and refurbishing them for economically disadvantaged individuals and families to address the digital divide.

Now, with a $651,000 grant from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, the nonprofit is expanding to Massachusetts. The new Waltham office will serve the half a million people in Massachusetts without access to a home computer, said Zajac who is executive director of the organization.

The new 2000-square foot office is the nonprofit’s first expansion in the five years since it was founded. But Zajac, a junior at Babson, says it's the first step in a plan to duplicate the success in the New York area elsewhere.

“Massachusetts is really the start of all of this. It's proof-of-concept in a way,” he said.

The office will employ four people full-time, and will likely offer opportunities for other Babson students to gain experience, Zajac said. The office at 87 Beaver St. will feature conference space and a refurbishment room.

The MBI grant will be given over a period of 20 months, and will allow Computers 4 People to donate 1,500 computers to people in areas north of Boston, with the stated goal of helping workforce development initiatives. It’s part of a collaborative effort with MassHire Metro North.

To date, the nonprofit has refurbished and donated nearly 3,000 computers, Zajac said. Many are donations from companies, and he is looking to create more partnerships with businesses in the Greater Boston area. The Institute for Social Innovation at Babson has donated 300 computers to the Waltham office already, Zajac said, and he’s expecting to partner with at least 20 businesses.