From IT Specialist to Senior Technology Advocate
Santa Barbara, California
 |
Milton Morgan is working to bring computer technology and understanding to low-income seniors in affordable housing developments.
Although I am not a baby boomer, there are many seniors, like me, that need to supplement retirement income to meet daily expenses, while at the same time I would like to give something back to society.
My passion is to use the Computers for Families (CFF) model as the basis for an initiative to provide SeniorNet Learning and Wireless Broadband Centers for Affordable Housing Developments.
The mission would be to place small laptops in the apartments of low-income seniors, with the capability for wireless broadband communication and access to the Internet, while costing as little as $300. I am actively pursuing this goal for the senior community where I reside.
I joined the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)in July 2006 and was selected to participate in the Older Workers Leadership Program at the beginning of this year. My current assignment at Computers for Families started in October 2006 to help bridge the Digital Divide for young students from low-income families in Santa Barbara.
Over 600 refurbished computers have been distributed during each of the 12 years existence of CFF. I believe that this is the best way for me to make a substantial contribution to our society.
My CFF Blueprint for Replication, submitted to the Stockholm Challenge 2008 competition, was selected as a finalist. It describes how SCSEP represents an innovative approach that could be copied wherever government funding exists to encourage utilization of the emerging workforce of baby boomers.