10/18/2024
A powerful partnership between Growing Community Media (GCM), the Forest Park Public Library (FPPL), and Wright to Learn is helping older adults in Forest Park and surrounding communities build digital confidence, connection, and resilience. Funded through the Cook County Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program, the initiative combines hands-on tech instruction, trauma-informed learning, and community storytelling to make digital access more inclusive and empowering.
Through FPPL’s Tech Empowerment classes and Wright to Learn’s Digital Resilience workshops, participants receive foundational digital skills training—paired with access to devices like tablets and hotspots they can use beyond the program. With 73% of Forest Park residents considered part of "covered populations" under the Digital Equity Act, this project meets a critical local need.
To amplify the program’s impact, GCM’s Forest Park Review is publishing a series of stories spotlighting the real-life journeys of older adults gaining confidence with technology. These stories not only honor their progress but also spark broader community dialogue around the importance of digital inclusion. By centering residents' voices, the partnership is building a more connected, empowered, and resilient Forest Park—one learner, one story at a time.