Angela Haas was a senior at St. Louis University when she got the idea to refurbish and resell old computers to other students.

Now, a dozen years later, she's president of a nonprofit that last year recycled 7.5 million pounds of electronics and helped 5,500 families get computers free or for drastically reduced prices.

"Basically somebody said it couldn't be done, and I said 'I'm going to show you,' " said Haas, 37.

The headquarters of Wits Inc. sits at 643 East Holly Avenue in St. Louis, east of Bellefontaine Cemetery. The charity has a 23,000-square-foot warehouse and a two-story brick building that's used for office space.

Haas' corner office is painted bright orange and purple. The carpet, recycled from a casino, has stripes in similar hues. Chinese characters adorn one of the walls, and Haas said they mean "welcome."

"I was going for something feng shui," she said. "I've even got some bamboo over here that I haven't managed to kill yet."

Haas runs her charity with the help of hundreds of volunteers, but she is paid and she also employs 33 people, many of whom are referred by a homeless shelter.

"We give them a chance, and if they mess it up that's their fault," she said. "But a lot of them have gotten their lives back on track."

Haas said she tries to impress on them that their work is more than a paycheck; it involves giving back to those less fortunate.

Overall, she said she's pleased with the direction Wits has taken.

"We are completely different than what we started out to be, but I think it's a lot better because we're not just serving students, but individuals and nonprofits in the community as well," she said.

Wits fixes up 78 percent of the computers that come through the doors of its three locations in St. Louis, Fairview Heights and Danville, Ill. A group of technicians clean hard drives to ensure security for the donor. The computers that can't be repaired are kept for parts or sold off for their aluminum or plastic, and the money keeps the charity running.

It takes in other old electronics too, and workers will pick up any large items that have a plug or a battery if the donor covers gasoline costs.

The warehouse is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Shoppers can choose from TVs, DVRs, video game consoles, stereo systems, home theater systems, refrigerators, washers and dryers. There are no income requirements for buyers.

"We kind of call it an E-thrift store," said Rob Shipman, 36, who helps Haas run the operation. "It's just like any other thrift store; you can walk in here today, and there's going to be 200 different things than there was yesterday."

Their computers are a minimum Pentium IV grade with 512 megabytes of RAM. They range in price from $60 to $235.

Wits sponsors several programs. One partners with school districts to get the low-cost computers to needy students.

Vanessa Ragsdale, a social worker with the University City School District, said last year 1,200 families benefited.

"With the way grades are now transmitted to families, and homework is online, it's a necessary thing to have a computer," she said. "Many families would not have been able to afford a computer in their homes without this."

Another program, started in 2006, gives away hundreds of computers to the needy at Christmastime. Last year 1,200 people applied for 300 freebies, and those not selected got a callback in January and were given a chance to get a computer another way, like in exchange for volunteering.

"I think that makes what we do pretty unique," Haas said.

This year 500 computers will be given away. Applicants can be any age but must be on public assistance or sponsored by another non-profit. They have to write a short essay about why they can't afford a computer and what they plan to use it for. (For more information, call Wits at 314-382-1650.)

Haas is spending most of her nights these days emailing organizations, trying to get out the word about the free computers.

Applications have been slow to come in this year, and as of Tuesday, she had only gotten about 250.

"This is really important to me," she said. "Having a computer lets these people compete; it gives them a fighting chance."