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Florence, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: The pandemic left many older adults in rural Florence County isolated and unable to navigate the digital world. To close this gap, the association upgraded its computer lab and added new laptops and tablets. It then launched workshops on internet safety, genealogy and computer software. Graduates received devices to continue learning, and some even published a cookbook and traced family histories. More than 100 participants gained confidence online, and a growing waitlist signals demand as plans expand to remote sites and develop volunteer mentors.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Wells, NV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: In rural Nevada, many older adults struggled with isolation and limited digital access, leaving them cut off from family and health care providers. To bridge this divide, the foundation installed laptops and tablets at centers in Wells and Carlin. It recruited local high school students to teach older residents how to use email, video calls and the internet safely. The sessions drew growing interest, with many reporting newfound confidence and eagerness to keep learning. The project not only built digital skills but also lasting connections between generations and within the community. One participant, after learning to use video chat for the first time, tearfully said she was "so happy" to finally see her granddaughter again.
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
Spokane, WA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners launched Neighbors on the Go, a volunteer driver program to transport older adults and individuals with disabilities to medical appointments. To raise awareness of the service and assure riders that the drivers had been vetted, SNAP set out to brand the program. They distributed brochures about Neighbors on the Go to local community centers and health clinics. In addition, SNAP equipped each volunteer vehicle with magnetic door decals and provided SNAP-branded polo shirts and name tags to drivers. SNAP also hosted training sessions with new volunteer drivers and provided them with personal protective equipment to keep them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spokane, WA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The project addressed the shortage of accessible gardening space for older adults and other residents who wanted a nearby place to grow food and connect with others in Spokane. Adding new raised beds expanded opportunities for people to garden without bending or lifting, and recruitment focused on participants from the community center. The expansion strengthened interest in the garden, encouraged new gardeners to join and helped lay the groundwork for future upgrades, including plans for an accessible path and a composting station. A neighbor who saw the beds being built said she looked forward to having a place close to home where her family could grow food.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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