Ottawa man refurbishes laptops, donates them to families in need

Community Heroes is a CBC Ottawa series highlighting people making a difference insmall or big ways in their communities during COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic stripped Martin Lee of his full-time job.

Oncea night manager at an Ottawa hotel, Lee found himself trapped at home last March and collecting the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB).

"To tell you the truth, I was bored just sitting at home doing nothing," said Lee, a Westboro resident. "I started looking around, and I found few older computers."

Lee got to work, tapping into his computer engineering skills to refurbishold laptops to donate to families in need specifically families with students who didn't have a computer at home. He began giving the laptopsaway on a community Facebook page.

I hope in my heart of hearts that Martin gets everything he deserves.- Jennifer Myres, laptop recipient

"There's people out there who have it even worse than we do. They can't afford a computer for their child for them to do online schooling," said Lee. "Now it's become more a little project or hobby, one would say, so that I can help out the community."

He estimates he's fixed and donated about 25 computers to date, and another 12 are in the works for a local school board. Nearby residents keep his stock fresh by donating old laptops, and he's been scavenging thrift stores when they're open.

"I'm a big believer in recycling computers instead of having them thrown into the trash," Lee said.

A father's encouragement

Lee's love for computers goes back to when he was a kid.

"Ever since junior high, I've always been interested," he said, explaining that his father first pushed him to learn computer engineering. He got hands-on experience doing co-op placements at computer stores inhigh school before enrolling at Algonquin College.

But during his final year of study,things took a turn.

"Unfortunately, my father passed away during my last year and I never finished because money was tight," said Lee.

'My son was thrilled'

Lee's refurbished laptops have so far gone to families, schools and even to a young girl trying to do virtual learning from a local shelter.

"She was very ecstatic about it," recalled Lee.He saidhe rarely interacts with the people he's helped out, but sometimes hears about the impact his gestures have made.

"I'm not actually in it for any recognition or appreciation. I just want to do what I can to help out."

Jennifer Myressaid when the province suddenly announced students would stay home through January, she didn't have a computer readily available for her 10-year-old son to do virtual school.

"When I came across Martin's giveaway [on Facebook], I thought it was too good to be true," said Myres. She said Lee gave her his last available laptop at the time.

"I was thrilled, my son was thrilled, and you know actually my son's marks have been very good because of it," said Myres. "I hope in my heart of hearts that Martin gets everything he deserves."

Lee has since found anotherjob, but is still fixing up computers on the side, andhe wants others with computer skills to do the same.

"I'm only one person in one neighbourhood, and Ottawa's such a big area. People have just as much computer talents as I do," Lee said. "If they can do something in their own neighbourhood as well, then that would be great."

Do you know a community hero in your neighbourhood? Email us with their story.