DETROIT (WXYZ) — The City of Detroit partnered with AT&T and Human I-T to distribute 100 free refurbished laptops to Wayne County seniors, aiming to close the digital gap affecting thousands of older adults.
Watch Peter Maxwell's video report:
The laptop giveaway took place Tuesday and included digital literacy training to help recipients navigate the online world more effectively and confidently.
"I am very, very, very happy I came in today," said Leola Johnson, a new laptop recipient.
For many seniors, having digital access has become essential for daily life.
"Everything is digital and everything is on the internet now, so you have to have it," said Calesther Arnold, another recipient.
The partnership between AT&T and Human I-T addresses a growing problem affecting older Americans who lack internet access.
"The reality is there are too many Americans who don't have access to the internet, and the reality today is if you don't have access to the internet, you really can't do anything," said John Emra, president of the AT&T Atlantic Region.
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans acknowledged that technology presents unique challenges for older generations.
"People of my generation and a little before we didn't grow up around technology, we're not hardwired for technology, but technology is the future. It's today," Evans said.
Beyond providing laptops, the program offers digital literacy training to help seniors build skills and confidence online. Detroit resident Johnson said she's grateful for the training and hopes it will help her become more independent.
"I want to learn how to do it all by myself so I know what I am doing," Johnson said.
The training also covers important safety topics, including how to avoid online scams.
"It has helped me, and if they have another one to come and learn, then I'd be willing to come because I learned a lot about the scammers today because I always get fooled by them," Johnson said.
For recipients like Charlie Thornton Jr., the laptop represents much more than technology.
"This is a great blessing to me," Thornton said.
Arnold emphasized how helpful the new technology will be in her daily life.
"It's going to be quite helpful, it's quite helpful to have," Arnold said.
——————————————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
