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University of Houston-Downtown (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Digital Connections
└ Digital navigation skills
└ Digital navigation skills
Older adults in Houston's low-income apartments lacked devices and digital skills, limiting access to telehealth and social engagement. UHD distributed 99 tablets and hosted seven training events where students taught the participants to navigate apps, protect against scams and use tools for health and communication. Residents now use tablets for essential tasks and social activities, reducing isolation and improving access to care. The program also fostered intergenerational connections and plans ongoing tutorials to sustain impact.
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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New York City, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: In Southeast Queens, many older adults face a digital divide that limits access to health care and social connection. Forestdales Baby Genius program paired older adults with tech-savvy youth for hands-on training, teaching skills like texting, email attachments and app downloads. Ten youth tutors worked with 50 older adults in one-on-one sessions, while workshops and events reached more than 700 participants. The program reduced isolation and built confidence, enabling older adults to use telehealth and connect with family. One participant said learning to video chat with her daughter using her phone was "life-changing," and demand for more sessions continues to grow.
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.
Spokane, WA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Refugee and Immigrant Connections Spokane addressed gaps in digital access that left many older adults struggling to communicate, find information and take part in daily activities that increasingly require online skills. For older adults, limited experience with computers and concerns about online safety increased isolation and dependency. The project delivered a series of hands-on digital literacy workshops supported by staff and volunteers, with small-group and one-on-one instruction tailored to older learners. Participants practiced core skills such as using laptops and tablets, navigating websites, sending email and recognizing common online risks. As confidence grew, several participants began applying these skills to their phones and other devices, strengthening independence and connection.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Many residents of Houston's Gulfton neighborhood do not own cars, making walking, cycling and public transit use common in the area -- one of the most diverse in the city. But street infrastructure didn't exist to protect cyclists from street traffic. To demonstrate the value of streetscape improvements, the City set up a pop-up bike lane on Westward Street near a local elementary school. First, the City developed a pop-up toolkit, consisting of chalk, paint, stencils and traffic cones. They then used these to create bike lanes on both sides of the street, with plans to conduct more low-cost, temporary pop-ups in the future. During the Westward Street demonstration, the City conducted a survey of residents. Following the success of the temporary bike lanes, the City broke ground on a permanent street redesign project nearby. Planners expect permanent protected bike lanes to be installed along the stretch where the demonstration took place.
Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
Description: The City of Houston allows construction of accessory dwelling units, which consist of a small housing unit built on the property of a preexisting single-family home. The Planning Department hoped to encourage more residents to build ADUs, so it launched an awareness campaign. To educate residents, the City hosted a series of virtual workshops on ADU construction. They also held a design competition, which gave the City content for a how-to design guide, a website and a set of plan documents for an ADU. The City published the plans online so residents can access them for free, allowing them to avoid an estimated 250 in permitting fees. The City is now exploring ways to support low- and moderate-income homeowners who are interested in constructing an ADU, allowing them to rent out the space for extra income.
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