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Siler City, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: The program will offer digital classes using refurbished laptops, WiFi access, and local pop-up labs led by trained volunteers. Participants will build basic online skills to access services, communicate and use technology more confidently.

Waynesboro, MS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: Older adults in rural Wayne County faced isolation and limited digital skills, making it hard to access online services or stay connected with family. The library offered free weekly computer classes and provided simplified tablets for home use, teaching email, internet basics and video calling. Participants practiced during sessions and at home to reinforce skills. They expressed excitement about learning and confidence in using devices for everyday tasks, showing how the program reduced isolation and improved digital access in a community with few resources.

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

Grand Island, NE

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Improved wayfinding

Description: Grow Grand Island installed four sculptural, eight-foot-tall wayfinding totems in Railside, an area in the City's downtown. Designed to help visitors learn about Railside and Grand Island's history and art, the totems feature maps and short descriptions in English and Spanish. Each totem is customized based on its location. In addition, the totems include a QR code linking to historical information about the buildings downtown. This online content can be updated when needed. Project organizers say the totems spurred needed repairs for downtown sidewalks and helped garner funding for more wayfinding signs. As downtown grows, organizers say the totems will play an important role in helping pedestrians navigate and appreciate Grand Island.

Grand Island, NE

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Engaging residents alongside thought leaders in problem solving

Description: Neighborhood engagement in Grand Island had declined after the pandemic, leaving residents disconnected. The project distributed 64 "neighboring kits" with tools for hosting meet-and-greets and introduced the concept during a leadership summit. Neighbors began organizing events like ice cream socials and driveway gatherings, fostering inclusion and accessibility. "Because we hosted in our driveway, our wheelchair-bound neighbor was now able to attend," one participant shared, showing how small actions can strengthen community ties.

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

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