AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
The Pantry by Feeding Hawaii Together (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Digital Connections
└ Digital navigation skills
└ Digital navigation skills
As SNAP benefits dropped and food prices soared, many older adults in Honolulu struggled to afford groceries. They also faced barriers volunteering at The Pantry's eCommerce food distribution program due to limited digital skills. The project trained more than 375 older adults on basic computer navigation, teaching account setup and ordering across laptops and tablets. This enabled volunteers to assist others and order food themselves, impacting nearly 2,000 older adults. One participant now orders for her assisted living facility, saying the training helped her meet cultural preferences and support neighbors.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Christiansburg, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Older adults in rural Virginia faced isolation during the pandemic, lacking internet access and basic computer skills. To close this gap, the group launched a Mobile Literacy Lab stocked with laptops, hotspots and other tools to deliver classes and tutoring. Two 10-week courses and five workshops taught email basics, safe browsing and virtual meeting skills. The lab now enables older adults to manage tasks like job searches and online communication. "This one hour class helped me more than anyone else in months," said Ellen, who learned to secure her email accounts. With new partnerships and a waiting list for future classes, the lab is set to remain a cornerstone for inclusive learning.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Eureka, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Older adults and veterans in a remote Montana community will receive easy-to-use tablets and in-person telehealth training. The project will help residents meet with medical providers online rather than travel long distances.
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
Honolulu, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Dangerous multi-lane crossings left pedestrians navigating long gaps in traffic, with low vehicle yield rates that created daily safety concerns for people walking to homes, bus stops and community services. The project installed new signs, fresh pavement markings and a solar-powered rapid-flashing beacon to make the crosswalk more visible. Yield rates rose from 60 to 87 percent after installation, improving comfort for people on foot. One community member said, "Thank you for this, I feel better walking here." The pilot also showed the city it could deliver similar safety fixes more quickly at other high-need sites.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Honolulu, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: Oahu is home to many older adults hoping to age in place. However, aging homes can make this difficult. Working with Palolo Chinese Home, Age-Friendly Honolulu created the Safe Homes 4 Kapuna program, which provides aging-in-place education, as well as home assessments and modifications, to older adults in the Palolo Valley neighborhood. The program produced print and electronic versions of a booklet, called Hale4Kapuna. The publication includes tips about renters' rights, permitting processes, funding sources and types of home modifications beneficial for older adults, as well as information on home assessments and basic handyman work. The group also provided home assessments to six older adults residing in the Palolo Valley.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP Hawaii State Office
1132 Bishop Street
Suite 1920
Honolulu, HI 96813
United States