New Hardeman County Program Bridges Digital Divide for Older Adults

Southwest HRA’s Tech Helps Program, Delivering Digital Hope, is partnering with Tech Goes Home of Tennessee to provide computer literacy classes for senior adults ages 60 and older throughout the next year. Each participant will be provided with a Chromebook and fifteen hours of classroom training.

“During the pandemic, we saw first-hand the devastating effect isolation had on our senior adult community due to digital illiteracy”, said Lauralee Smith, Senior Services Director, “When we were FaceTiming our families, conducting meetings through Zoom and going to church online, they were all alone. Our heart’s desire is to deliver digital hope through our Tech Helps Program. ”

Southwest Human Resource Agency received a $400,000 grant from the West End Home Foundation to help bridge the digital divide for Tennesseans, age 60 and older, living in the counties of Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, and McNairy.

The program will include subsidized assistance to off-set the cost of internet services, hotspots if necessary, technical support, cyber security training and transportation to the training sessions.

Tech Helps is seeking volunteers to teach participant classes in their communities. Volunteer registration will begin August 22, 2022, with training to begin in September. Volunteers may register here.

Participants may apply beginning September 1, 2022, and classes begin October 1, 2022. Participants may register here.

For more information, please call (731) 989-5111.

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