Kendal on Hudson’s Philanthropy Committee recently provided a $10,000 grant to Open Door Family Medical Center and Foundation to support the digital literacy programming that is offered to its patients in the community.
The grant funded Open Door’s Digital Literacy Program and allowed for the Foundation to acquire new Chromebooks, 12 months of paid Wi-Fi and offer 15 hours of hands-on digital literacy education for two Digital Literacy Cohorts of patients from the Sleepy Hollow community. Members of the cohort included older adults and parents of school-age children. The program was tailored to these groups with goals specific to their interests; among the goals for parents was to feel empowered to use technology to support their children’s education and for older adults to increase access to resources and communication to combat isolation and loneliness.
“We are deeply grateful for the support from Kendal on Hudson, which has made the continued growth of this program possible. This support has begun to change the lives of some of the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Elisabeth Gilbert, Senior Director of Development for the Open Door Family Medical Center and Foundation. “We are already finding positive outcomes from patients who have participated. Not only are they able to navigate our online system and access virtual healthcare visits with Open Door and community providers, but they have gained skills that enable to them navigate online for other purposes including education, employment and communicating with friends and family.”
Open Door’s Digital Literacy Program was created in 2019 after the organization discovered that patients were struggling to complete the online surveys the center sent due to a lack of digital literacy skills, minimal Wi-Fi access and a distrust of technology. Through the Digital Literacy Program, the Foundation aims to improve overall health outcomes through education, tools, resources and support.
“At our core, we believe in the strength of community. Kendal on Hudson is proud to support community partners who are working to improve the lives of others, especially through opportunities for lifelong learning,” said Kendal on Hudson CEO, Pamela Klapproth. “Residents of Sleepy Hollow, including older adults – the population which we primarily serve – will be able to learn new skills and interact with others without technological barriers.”
To learn more about Kendal on Hudson, visit kohud.kendal.org or call 914-922-1000.
