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Boot Up

A Big Nerd Idea Mutual Digital Aid program — refurbished devices get a second boot; people get a second chance.

Recover → Refurbish → Educate → Empower → Award.

Boot Up (formerly Second Boot) is a hardware recovery and digital literacy program operated by Big Nerd Idea Foundation. We collect donated and discarded laptops, data-cleanse and rebuild them on Ubuntu Linux with a curated open-source software stack, then deploy them through a structured digital literacy program. Completion of the program awards a device.

We serve schools, recovery communities, elderly adults, youth, veterans, the economically marginalized, and the incarcerated or previously incarcerated — meeting each group where they are.

Base: Charleston, WV · Status: Phase 0 — Blueprint & Foundation

The arc

Stage What happens
Recover Collect donated laptops from businesses, schools, individuals
Refurbish Triage, repair, secure data wipe, install Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Educate Modular seminars: digital basics, AI literacy, job skills, more
Empower Hands-on practice on the device that will become theirs
Award Program graduates receive their refurbished device

Pairing the hardware with a structured literacy program — rather than handing out devices alone — is a deliberate design choice: ownership and confidence are built together, and the device is something earned, not given. [HYPOTHESIS] This is a bet about retention and outcomes; it will be tested in pilot cohorts.

Five pillars

Hardware Recovery. Collect donated laptops from businesses, schools, and individuals. Diagnose, repair, and triage at our makerspace partner site.

Data Cleanse & Rebuild. Drive-type-appropriate sanitization with a per-device wipe certificate, then a fresh Ubuntu LTS install with the curated educational software stack. [HYPOTHESIS] The procedure is designed to align with NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 2 and IEEE 2883-2022; alignment is claimed only after review by a qualified information-security professional. See Data Sanitization.

Literacy Seminars. Modular classes in computer basics, internet safety, social media literacy, AI literacy, job skills, creative tools, optional coding, and a dedicated seniors track — each adapted per audience.

Device Award. Program completers receive a refurbished laptop as a tangible reward. Award tracks are designed for different audiences and time commitments.

Ongoing Support. Help desk, community chat (Signal / Matrix), drop-in repair hours, and an alumni mentoring pipeline that pays back into the program.

Why this program exists

Digital exclusion compounds every other form of exclusion. A person without a working computer cannot apply for jobs through modern HR systems, access telehealth, manage benefits portals, complete most coursework, or stay connected to family. Donated corporate laptops often end up as e-waste; the people who need them most don't get them. Boot Up is the bridge.

Operating values

  • Earned, not given. Participants finish a curriculum to receive the device.
  • Open source by default. No proprietary software ships on a Boot Up device — cost, freedom, reproducibility, security review.
  • Patience-first instruction. Especially in seniors and recovery tracks. Repeating a question is part of the program, not a failure.
  • Honest about outcomes. We measure and report what we can prove. Claims about lives changed wait for evidence.
  • Workforce inside the program. Hardware tech, peer instructor, and logistics roles are paths into paid work for participants — not separate hiring.

Explore

On our claims

Boot Up documentation follows the Big Nerd Idea Epistemic Honesty directive. Year 1 KPIs are planning targets, not promises. Outcome claims about program participants are hypotheses until validated with real cohort data.