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Central Arkansas Library System Foundation (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Digital Connections
└ Digital navigation skills
└ Digital navigation skills
Older adults in assisted living facilities often lacked access to technology and digital skills, leaving them isolated from essential resources and social connections. To address this, the library launched a mobile tech classroom with tablets and held five four-week courses covering email setup, online safety and library apps. The sessions drew 269 participants and eased fears about technology through hands-on instruction and personal support. Repeat attendance and requests for ongoing classes show growing confidence, and the library plans to expand the program across its service area.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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San Francisco, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Many older adults in San Francisco struggled with technology-not because they lacked devices, but because they lacked help. To meet that need, SF Tech Council organized five multilingual "Tech Support Popups" that offered free one-on-one assistance in neighborhoods like Chinatown and the Tenderloin. Nearly 100 volunteers helped more than 200 residents update devices, remove viruses and sign up for affordable internet programs. The events built digital confidence and community connections, inspiring agencies to explore permanent tech help services. One Cantonese-speaking participant said she finally felt "heard" while learning to use her phone to stay in touch with her children.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
New York City, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: In Southeast Queens, many older adults face a digital divide that limits access to health care and social connection. Forestdales Baby Genius program paired older adults with tech-savvy youth for hands-on training, teaching skills like texting, email attachments and app downloads. Ten youth tutors worked with 50 older adults in one-on-one sessions, while workshops and events reached more than 700 participants. The program reduced isolation and built confidence, enabling older adults to use telehealth and connect with family. One participant said learning to video chat with her daughter using her phone was "life-changing," and demand for more sessions continues to grow.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Shelbyville, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Many older adults in Shelbyville faced difficulty in navigating digital tools needed for daily life. The Family Life Center offered classes and personalized coaching that helped participants practice email, texting, telehealth and other essential tasks. Teens served as digital mentors, creating a patient environment where everyone could learn at their own pace. Participants said the instruction was helpful and reassuring, noting how learning simple skills made them feel more connected and independent. The project strengthened social ties, reduced isolation and positioned the Family Life Center as a trusted hub for ongoing digital inclusion and future partnerships.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Little Rock, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: When state transportation officials asked Arkansans why they don't bicycle more, the answer was clear: Because they did not feel safe. To address this, the City of Little Rock worked to educate drivers about road safety best practices. The City developed a two-hour training -- the Friendly Driver Certification Program -- modeled after a similar program in Fort Collins, Colorado. "Twenty years ago, we didn't have any bike lanes, pedestrian hybrid beacons or other new types of facilities to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe," program coordinator John Landosky told Little Rock Soiree. "That infrastructure is only useful if drivers know what to do around it." Since its launch, the class has educated more than 500 participants, with nearly six in ten saying it made them more confident in walking or biking. The City says the training also helped lay a foundation for its Complete Streets bike plan.
North Little Rock, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: Older adults in North Little Rock often navigate streets that feel unsafe to walk or cross, yet their experiences were not reflected in local planning. Womens Own Worth addressed this gap by recruiting volunteers, including many age 50-plus, to complete structured, seated bike and walk audits along a key corridor. Participants documented issues such as unclear signage, poor surface quality and limited lighting, creating a clearer picture of conditions that affect mobility and safety. One retired volunteer said the audit helped her see and describe hazards she had long sensed, noting it gave her the ability to "really see what needs improvement...and to feel like my perspective matters." The findings are being compiled into a report that will inform future planning and funding proposals, helping ensure older adults have a stronger voice in shaping safer public spaces.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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