When the COVID-19 pandemic pushed everyday life online, many older adults were suddenly cut off from essential services, healthcare, and even their own families. For Sourcewise, the Area Agency on Aging serving Santa Clara County, the crisis made one thing impossible to ignore: digital connection had become essential to aging with dignity and independence.
But unlike many organizations that treated digital inclusion as a temporary emergency response, Sourcewise saw it as core to their mission.
That shift did not happen overnight. It was built through years of partnership, experimentation, and learning together.
Seeing the Need Before Everyone Else
Even before COVID-19, leaders at Sourcewise were already asking important questions about how technology was impacting older adults. CEO Aneliza Del Pinal had participated in statewide conversations through California’s aging network, including work reflected in sector-wide analyses such as the C4A Position Paper on the Digital Divide and early COVID-era assessments of service disruptions for older adults. These efforts highlighted a growing truth: digital access was becoming essential infrastructure for aging well.
At the time, the need was visible, but not yet urgent enough to drive large-scale investment.
Then the world shut down.
Suddenly, older adults needed technology to schedule vaccine appointments, apply for benefits, access telehealth, connect with caregivers, and fight isolation. Organizations serving seniors quickly realized that clients could not fully participate in programs or services if they lacked devices, connectivity, or the confidence to use them.
Sourcewise responded quickly. Working alongside partners across Santa Clara County, they helped distribute more than 1,400 Google smart speakers through nine community organizations. They later expanded efforts through initiatives like CHAT & Digital Connections, which provided 400 iPads and connectivity support to older adults who needed them most. These efforts were supported in part through partnerships such as AT&T connectivity initiatives, helping ensure access went beyond devices to include meaningful internet connection.
Throughout this work, digitalLIFT played a foundational role in helping Sourcewise design and grow its approach to digital inclusion.
From Emergency Response to Sustainable Programming
Many digital inclusion efforts launched during the pandemic were short-term solutions. Sourcewise wanted something more sustainable.
Together, we explored what older adults actually needed to feel confident using technology. Was the goal simply device access? Digital skills? Increased confidence? Social connection? Independence?
The answer was all of the above.
Sourcewise began developing a client-centered model that prioritized not only access, but also ongoing support in safe and welcoming spaces. Language accessibility became a major priority, with programming designed to support English, Vietnamese, and Spanish-speaking older adults.
As the organization learned more, their approach evolved into what is now a thriving in-person Tech Hub model.
Today, older adults can visit Tech Hubs across Santa Clara County to receive hands-on support, attend classes, participate in office hours, and explore new technologies at their own pace. The program was built in partnership with organizations including the San José Public Library Foundation and the City of San José.
The hubs operate several days a week and intentionally schedule programming around mealtimes and other senior center activities to make participation easier.
What began as digital navigation support has expanded into something much larger.
Participants now use technology to:
- Access healthcare portals and health apps
- Communicate with family and caregivers
- Build digital confidence
- Explore artificial intelligence tools
- Write books and engage in creative projects
- Watch educational content online
- Participate more fully in their communities
The hubs also host Tech Expos and are actively building peer-led “Digital Ambassador” programs to strengthen learning from within the community. This model is currently in pilot phase, with five digital ambassadors trained since January 2026. These ambassadors are already supporting Sourcewise by helping lead parts of group session curriculum and assisting Digital Link (DL) trainers during classes by troubleshooting learner challenges in real time. This reduces disruptions during group instruction and allows DL staff to focus more on 1:1 support and walk-ins in adjacent spaces, creating a more flexible and responsive learning environment.
This peer-led approach reflects a broader shift toward building capacity inside the community rather than relying solely on external support.
Real Impact: From Struggle to Independence
The impact of this work is best understood through individual experiences.
Guillermo is a Spanish-speaking client with visual impairments, including color blindness, who initially struggled to use an iPad and navigate certain applications, even after adjusting settings such as dark mode and accessibility features. Through sustained support from the digitalLIFT team, time was spent experimenting with accessibility configurations and learning what worked for his specific needs.
A breakthrough came in June when Guillermo was finally able to log into Zoom independently and clearly see on-screen text without assistance. Shortly after, he successfully used the screen share function on his own. That moment marked a major shift from dependence to autonomy. Guillermo expressed excitement and pride, and he continues to build momentum from that turning point, expanding what he is able to do independently.
Stories like Guillermo’s reflect the broader philosophy driving this work: digital skills are not just technical competencies, but pathways to independence, dignity, and participation.
Building Programs That Outlast Partnerships
One of the strongest signs of success is that Sourcewise’s digital inclusion work is no longer dependent on outside organizations to sustain it.
Over time, Sourcewise integrated digital inclusion directly into its broader aging services strategy. They identified braided funding opportunities, aligned programs with Older Americans Act funding streams, incorporated digital inclusion into Area Plan on Aging priorities, and built internal systems for measuring impact.
While they were ultimately not awarded a recent NTIA coalition grant of approximately $954,000, they continue advancing the work through diversified funding and strong regional partnerships.
They have expanded from 6 programs in 2019 to more than 20 programs today, focused on digital inclusion and related services. That evolution matters because sustainable digital inclusion cannot rely entirely on temporary grants or external partners. It has to become part of how organizations fulfill their missions.
As Aneliza Del Pinal shared: “Digital access is about fulfilling the promise of participation for every member of our community, while intentionally closing the gap for those who did not grow up as digital natives. digitalLIFT laid the foundation that enabled us to design person-centered programs for unconnected older adults, offering support that is culturally and linguistically relevant.”
Sourcewise demonstrates what is possible when organizations move beyond short-term digital equity projects and embed digital inclusion into the heart of their work. Their journey shows that sustainable programs start small, grow through partnership, and evolve through listening to community needs. Most importantly, it reminds us that everyone deserves the opportunity to participate fully in today’s digital world.
Ready to Build Your Own Digital Inclusion Program?
If your organization is ready to move from intention to implementation, digitalLIFT can help.
We partner with nonprofits, government agencies, libraries, healthcare systems, and community-based organizations to design and sustain digital inclusion programs that actually work in real-world service environments.
Work with us to explore partnership opportunities and start building a more connected, equitable community.
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