“Caring Connections for Seniors has a ‘friendly visitor’ program for matching volunteers with seniors who are isolated or homebound and need assistance. When our seniors expressed that they lacked the Internet access needed for researching medical issues, finding and applying for benefits programs, staying in touch with friends and family or shopping for basics, we sought out Mobile Citizen so we could extend our program by offering an affordable Internet option. Our digital literacy program combines low-cost mobile Internet with refurbished equipment and 1:1 in-home tutoring by volunteer-friendly visitors so low-income seniors can stay connected and take full advantage of all the Internet has to offer. For those of us leveraging technology in our work, it’s easy to take having Internet access for granted. Watching a senior receiving family photos via the Internet for the very first time makes connectivity meaningful and certainly puts things into perspective. Internet access through Mobile Citizen has also enhanced pARTicipation in inter-generational arts workshops by enabling us to including a digital storytelling component that combines creativity with our computer literacy program.”
-André Petty, Executive Director, Caring Connections for Seniors