Napa, CA (November 1, 2023) – The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF), in partnership with Providence Community Health Foundation Napa Valley (PCHFNV), distributed 100 complimentary iPads to seniors in the farmworking community.
The iPads were made possible through a Digital Connections grant awarded to PCHFNV by the Napa/Solano Area Agency on Aging. The funds originated from California’s Department on Aging’s Digital Inclusion initiative—focused on the use of technology to connect older adults with friends and family, health care providers, as well as expand their ability to find healthy foods, perform meaningful work, and learn new skills.
With 450 iPads to distribute across the County, the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation immediately came to mind.
“I started my career in the wine industry and married a winemaker. Through these connections I learned of the invaluable work the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation does for local farmworkers, who we also serve. For years, I’ve been looking for an opportunity for our two organizations to work together. When we received this grant, I reached out and was very excited they were on board,” said PCHFNV Director of Development Operations, Erika Tavakoli
The program opened a digital gateway for 100 individuals to connect with family and resources – a genuine, life-altering gift for many.
To receive an iPad, the program outlined the following parameters:
- Recipients must be at least 60 years old or 18 years old and permanently disabled
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- Priority was given to low-income residents
- The recipient does not currently own a mobile, computerized device that could maintain the following:
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- General digital application compatibility such as telehealth resources or Zoom
- Connectivity to WiFi or 5G broadband
- And finally, the recipient must live in Napa County
Each iPad came with an Otter Box case for protection, access to a 24/7 helpline for setup assistance, broadband service through December 31, information to extend and purchase low-cost broadband, and information to get further iPad support through the Napa County Library.
Recipients were deeply moved by receiving an iPad. With their new-found digital gateway, many recipients reconnected with loved ones on FaceTime. Anecdotes from the program include:
- A woman with dementia that lives in a facility. Her daughters walked her through video calling so she could feel more closely connected to them
- A man who has been disabled since a kidney transplant. He couldn’t afford a smartphone, and technology is challenging, but he is now committed to learning how to make video calls
- An 80-year-old whose sight is going, so the big iPad screen helps him watch his beloved prayer videos and talk to his kids
- A retiree who recently got out of the hospital and was feeling depressed; his daughter hoped the new iPad could provide him interesting things to explore
- A woman that expressed she’d never been given anything and showed sincere gratitude
“Recipients lit up at the sight of their new iPad. It was a moving experience around the room, too, as even their family members shined bright,” said Rocío Escobedo, Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation program coordinator, “The iPad meant a reliable, direct connection to their loved ones.”
About Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation
Founded by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers in 2011, the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation supports and promotes Napa Valley’s vineyard workers through education and professional development. It is the first organization of its kind in the U.S., providing educational opportunities, advanced training programs, leadership and management classes, English literacy programs, and more. To date, the Farmworker Foundation has offered education and professional development opportunities to more than 23,000 vineyard workers and their families. For more information, visit Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
About Providence Community Health Foundation Napa Valley (formerly Collabria Care)
The Providence Community Health Foundation Napa Valley was formed to serve the philanthropic needs of Providence Community Health Napa Valley’s programs — Adult Day Health, Palliative Care, Hospice, and PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly). Its mission is to ensure that Providence Community Health Napa Valley has sufficient resources to provide whole person, compassionate care for individuals and their families who are experiencing serious illness, the transitions of aging, and end of life. Thus, ensuring no one is ever denied services based on their inability to afford care and that programming to improve the health and wellbeing of our community is available.
About Napa/Solano Area Agency on Aging
The current Napa/Solano Area Agency on Aging was established in August 2018, through a collaboration between Napa and Solano counties, under the guidance of the California Department of Aging. The agency exists to advocate for and enhance the quality of life, health, independence, and dignity of older adults in Napa and Solano counties. Additionally, they provide leadership in addressing issues that relate to older adults, developing community-based systems of care that provide services which support independence, and promoting citizen involvement in the planning and delivery of services.
