On November 17, 2020, ACC Senior Services began loaning laptop computers to 50 participants in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), ACC’s job training program for older adults. The refurbished laptops were purchased with a $16,400 grant from SMUD as part of its Shine Award Grant Program.
The participants of ACC’s SCSEP program are low-income seniors who face multiple barriers to employment. Most come from underserved communities with few resources across Sacramento County. Many have raised children and grandchildren and now seek work to make ends meet. Some are veterans who are at risk of being homeless. Others were incarcerated and now want to be productive members of society. While most have worked their entire lives, they do not have the technology skills to compete in the tight COVID-era labor market.
“SCSEP is giving these seniors a human connection and the technical training to get employed during this challenging time,” says Jeri Shikuma, SCSEP Program Manager. “With SMUD’s support, ACC’s SCSEP program will help these older adults develop digital literacy skills, making them more employable.”
The loaner laptops are refurbished models and come fully loaded with Microsoft Windows and Office applications.
“Getting one of these laptops will be a great help for me to navigate online with my distance training,” says LaTonya Anderson. “I’ve currently been using my phone to do distance learning and it’s challenging being that I am legally blind. Not only will the laptop help me with my distance learning, it will also help me greatly with job searches.”
The Pew Research Center found in 2017 that 73 percent of low-income seniors in the U.S. don’t have home broadband. Many go to senior centers and libraries to get Internet access. The pandemic has shut down that access.
“We’re proud to partner with local nonprofits on projects that will immediately address COVID-19 impacts in underserved communities,” said SMUD CEO and General Manager Paul Lau. “I’m looking forward to round two so we can help even more people during this unprecedented time. By supporting our community with job training, academic support and community services, we will make a lasting impact in our neighborhoods.”
The Shine Award Grant Program is part of SMUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative that uses innovative programs and local partnerships to help bring environmental equity and economic vitality to neighborhoods in the Sacramento area. ACC is grateful for SMUD’s partnership in helping seniors in our community find employment. For more information, visit https://www.smud.org/en/Corporate/Landing/Sustainable-Communities/Shine-awards.
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