Last Friday, our Refurbathon took place at the Women’s Building as we focused on empowering the community through digital literacy. Earlier this year, we began to connect with the Women’s Building, as Jessica Gutierrez, the Community Programs Director, put it, “We came together and outlined what our client needs were and how we could strategically collaborate to make a bigger impact”. The result was the start of at least 2 Refurbathons and our partnership with our CTA program. Our CTA intern, Estefany, has been offering free tech support to clients for a couple of months, ensuring they feel supported as we enter this new digital world. As part of our mission, we aim to provide resources that uplift our community, during this Refurbathon, the participants not only learned about digital literacy but also received an incredible surprise. They walked away with a free laptop generously donated by McAfee!
We are deeply grateful for the generosity and support of the guests who joined us and offered valuable resources to our residents! Yajaira, from the San Francisco Public Library, came to speak about the resources and services they provide. From adult tutoring and support in obtaining your GED to free museums and entertainment, the library offers a wealth of knowledge. Additionally, we were honored to have Verizon join us, sharing information about their free/affordable WiFi federal program. We also informed residents about the amazing Digital Equity online courses AT&T offers. Residents can practice those digital skills in the comfort of their homes at any time. Our Utilities IT engineer, Isaac, led an internet security workshop where he talked about the importance of keeping your information safe, how to avoid common scams, and what to do in extreme cases. Bridging the digital divide is vital, and through this collaboration, we took a significant step in ensuring that our community can stay connected with the world around them.
As the Refurbathon unfolded, it became clear that the residents were not only engaged but also genuinely excited about the resources we offered. We had the pleasure of having the Programs Coordinator, Daniela Flores, Karina Martinez, and our CTA team guide residents through the steps and ensure they felt supported. What warmed our hearts the most was witnessing the joy on some of the residents’ faces when they learned they could keep the laptop at the end. For many, it was an unexpected gift, and the room seemed to light up with hope and gratitude. These heartwarming reactions further reassure us of the importance of such events like this, in making a positive impact on our communities.
We see the Refurbathon as just one milestone in our ongoing commitment to empower the community through digital literacy. We believe that by contributing support, time, expertise, and resources, we can bridge the digital divide and empower our communities together. We want to extend our gratitude to Tania Estrada, the Executive Director at the Women’s building, and all their staff. Thank you to McAfee and all the guests that came out, we couldn’t have done it without you! Stay tuned for our next Refurbathon and don’t miss out on the other exciting events we’ve got coming.
