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Red Bird Mission (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Digital Connections
└ Digital navigation skills
└ Digital navigation skills
In rural Kentucky, older adults lacked internet access, leaving them unable to apply for benefits or use telehealth. The mission installed high-speed internet at the center, and added computers, tablets and printers. It also launched Seniors4Seniors classes where high school students taught digital skills. Weekly workshops covered email setup and benefit access. The participants now use tablets to accept electronic payments at farmers markets, boosting income and food access. "I was able to sell my organic produce at the Farmers Market this summer because of the...tablet I was able to borrow and the digital literacy training I received," said one participant.
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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See More Projects Like This One
Jamestown, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Many older adults in the community faced barriers to staying connected, from limited transportation to difficulty using digital tools. The center expanded learning opportunities by offering Technology for Seniors classes with new laptops and a Computer Corner, along with gardening workshops supported by raised beds, tools and plant lights. Participants practiced hands-on skills, grew flowers they later shared with others and gained confidence using computers to stay in touch with family. These programs continue to grow and will expand further once the center moves to a larger facility, creating ongoing opportunities for community members to build skills and maintain independence.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
San Antonio, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Older adults in Opportunity Home communities faced a deep digital divide, lacking devices and skills to manage health care, benefits and communication. The project installed laptop computers in 11 properties and provided additional laptops for classes led by Older Adults Technology Services. Across nine sites, 35 courses delivered 90 hours of instruction, with nearly 100 graduates gaining confidence to navigate online services and connect with family. The initiative reduced isolation, created peer support networks and eliminated barriers like transportation costs. This has positioned the community for sustained digital inclusion and future partnerships.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Northampton, PA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Northampton County addressed barriers faced by older adults as everyday services moved online. Many residents lacked the skills, support or devices needed to use the internet safely and confidently. The county hosted three in-person digital training events that offered one-on-one instruction from volunteers and students, with hands-on help tailored to individual needs such as connecting to Wi-Fi, improving device performance, protecting privacy and completing common online tasks. Eligible participants also received refurbished devices through the county device giveaway program. Older adults left with practical skills and greater confidence using digital tools to stay connected and manage daily needs. The strong response expanded demand for device distribution and reinforced the county's digital navigator approach, supporting plans to continue and grow these efforts beyond the initial events.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Whitesburg, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Trails
Description: The Tanglewood Trail is a three-mile, lighted path that travels through Whitesburg's downtown. To make the trail more useable for people of all ages, Appalshop laid new blacktop to create even, at-grade pavement and installed benches at regular intervals to give people a place to rest. The path connects local businesses and allows residents to navigate downtown on foot. Project organizers say the trail will eventually connect to the 1,800-mile-long Great Eastern Trail.
Whitesburg, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Expanding HighSpeed Internet
Description: Shaping Our Appalachian Region confronted limited broadband and skills that kept older adults from telehealth, secure online accounts and family connections. The team launched a mobile laptop lab with hands-on classes in AI, digital safety and basic computer skills, paired with in-home satellite internet for 23 older adults. A Digital Navigator provided one-on-one help, and participants completed digital literacy coursework with certifications. One resident said reliable access felt like having a doctor "in your living room," underscoring reduced barriers to care. The project created repeatable curricula and a scalable model for ongoing digital inclusion.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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