Ota Tovar Arreola first came to the San Francisco Senior Center on O’Farrell Street in 2016 at the age of 63. Besides her desire to access the internet, she was also motivated by the desire to interact with people closer to her age. Since regularly visiting the center, Ota has found it to be a quiet area where she can research topics of interest with the help of Community Tech Network volunteer tutors.
Not having a computer of her own, she appreciates and depends on the access to the outside world that the computer center affords her. Ota notes, “I like the screen here (it’s very large) because I have problems with my eyes, and the keyboard (is also larger with larger keys), and there is a person here all the time to help us out.”
Ota hopes more centers open up and the number of tutors increases throughout the city. With seniors on a small budget, CTN, and the centers where we partner, are a much needed asset to the senior community. As Ota puts it, “I think a lot of senior citizens, especially those who are 65 years and older, we are kind of set aside, so by having access to computers we can be active ourselves so that we are not limited.”
If you are interested in learning more about CTN providing digital literacy training support in your community, email the Executive Director, Kami Griffiths.
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