Pasadena Village free IT Cafe pairs seniors with high school volunteers (Photo – Pasadena Village)
Pasadena Village, the local nonprofit that helps seniors age in place, is offering two special services: free technical help at IT Cafes and free artificial intelligence glasses for veterans who are blind or severely vision-impaired.
By Melanie Hooks
Technical Help at IT Cafes
Pasadena Village will offer free technical help in English and Spanish for older adults at IT Cafes on Saturdays, August 22 and September 12, from 10:00 am to noon at Pasadena Village, 236 W. Mountain St., #113, Pasadena.
Older adults can bring their laptops, smartphones, iPhones, smartwatches or other devices for free, one-on-one assistance at either or both sessions. Coffee and opportunities for community connection will also be available.
Pasadena Village partners with ATM (Ayuda Técnica para Mayores), an organization founded by local high school students to provide bilingual tech support to older adults. ATM student volunteers have skills in computer science and bilingual communication. They provide one-on-one support in English and Spanish to seniors who might not otherwise be able to participate in other outreach programs. Their goal is to make a positive impact on the community, one step at a time.
Other partners include Firefly Counseling, a local business that offers therapy to older adults experiencing grief, life transitions and more. Firefly Counseling is sponsoring the August 22 IT Cafe and will share information about its services.
Free AI Glasses for Veterans
U.S. veterans who are blind or severely vision-impaired can receive free technical assistance as well as a free pair of Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses.
Veterans are always welcome at Village events, and now, through a program from Meta, they can receive a free pair of glasses while supplies last. Trained staff and volunteers will help veterans set up the Meta glasses and guide them through ways to use the glasses in their day-to-day lives.
The glasses feature a “Call a Volunteer” option, created in partnership with Be My Eyes, that connects blind or low-vision individuals with volunteers who can help describe what they are seeing and assist with daily tasks. The AI glasses can also help users listen and respond to messages, receive notification alerts, listen to music, access Meta AI guidance and describe their surroundings.
Registration
To reduce barriers to participation, Pasadena Village offers free rides from vetted drivers. Transportation can be requested during registration.
Register here for Saturday, August 22, from 10:00 am to noon. Register here for Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 am to noon.
For more information, visit PasadenaVillage.org, call (626) 765-6037, or email Program Manager Pablo Ortiz-Morales at pablo@pasadenavillage.org.
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