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St. Paul, NE

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: New laptops, tablets and shared equipment will support hands-on technology lessons for adults 50-plus. Participants will learn basic device use, printing and screen sharing to better access services and stay connected.

San Juan, PR

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: Older adults in Puerto Rico often struggle with digital illiteracy, leaving them disconnected from family and vital services. Centro Ines tackled this by offering small-group courses on tablets and smartphones. Common apps for entertainment, staying connected with friends and navigation were taught, as well as skills for managing medical appointments and voting online. Volunteers provided hands-on support to build confidence. Graduates now use technology to stay in touch with loved ones, access health resources and prepare for emergencies like hurricanes. One participant noted how helpful this course has been for himself and other residents.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Evanston, IL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: For many older adults, limited access to technology can cut off communication with family, online services and civic life. Without training or a reliable device, everyday tasks like video calls or accessing information can feel out of reach. Levy Senior Center responded by offering a series of hands-on workshops focused on practical skills, from email and video calls to online safety and using tablets for daily life. The sessions created a supportive space where participants could learn at their own pace and ask questions without pressure. Older adults who attended multiple sessions received a tablet, allowing them to keep practicing at home. One participant said the device felt like a long-awaited gift and finally made it possible to connect with a grandchild. The program also brought new faces into the center, sparking social connections and demand for continued tech learning.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Liberty, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Pedestrian Safety

Description: The project will build a looped sidewalk connecting parking areas to a new bandshell in Freedom Park. The walkway will provide safe and accessible access to park activities for all users.

Chatham County, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places

Description: When the owner of the Bynum General Store in Pittsboro retired, neighbors established a nonprofit organization called Bynum Front Porch, which turned the shop into a community center and performance space. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, grant funds -- and the power of high-speed internet -- enabled the venue to livestream its monthly storytelling workshops and musical events. Bynum Front Porch set up a recording equipment in the space, allowing the nonprofit to reach older adults, former residents and others unable to gather in person. In the years since, Bynum Front Porch has continued to stream live performance and archive shows on its YouTube channel.

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