Posts in category: blog

“Photography is …about finding something interesting in an ordinary place.  It has little to do with the things you see, and everything to do with the way you see them.” Elliot Erwitt, French-American Photographer

If you’ve walked down the hallways at ACC Senior Services, you’ve probably noticed a gallery of some great photos displayed on the walls near the Program office.  These are images of people, places, and moments, captured by your friends at ACC who’ve found great satisfaction in capturing images of the world around them.

One ACC active volunteer who’s found a passion in photography is Jeff Jong.  A founding member of the ACC Camera Club, Jeff convinced ACC to allow the Club to set up a gallery at ACC to showcase photos taken by club members. For Jeff, photography is an ideal way for seniors to stay engaged and active. He’s amazed how the camera can lure you into connecting with people and places more closely.   As for social interaction, the joys of seeing photos taken by others, and sharing yours on YouTube or Facebook, are hard to beat. 

ACC News caught up with Jeff recently via email, and he shared his thoughts about photography for seniors.

Jeff, how did you get into photography?

“Cameras were always around us growing up, but with retirement, I enjoyed a lot more time with it, and found it to be a useful part of my lifestyle. I took some courses at city college and then continued at CSUS. About the same time, I also started getting involved with ACC, first as a volunteer with the Respite Care, and then I got more involved and started to photograph for public relations like images and videos for ACC programs offered to seniors like myself.  My wife and I also started to travel more, and I realized what a great and creative documentation tool it was.” 

What appeals to you most about photography?

“I like the freedom of creativity photography gives to me – I can record many types of subject matter, events, places, or things, and after touching them up, I could arrange them into an album or video.  For me, the ultimate image type is travel.   With a camera (or two) on hand, you become more immersed in your surroundings, noticing and appreciating the architecture that other people have put into a place, throughout the ages. You tend to notice the people more so too, as possible subjects – a friendly or helpful face here, the way they talk. And then there’s the food – so tempting and colorful (unfortunately we can’t record the aromas yet!).”  

What are some of your favorite photo subjects, events, or locations (especially local)

“Everybody has favorites of what they like to photograph. Past ACC Camera Club members have posted on the ACC Gallery walls images of places, people, pets, flowers, food, and wildlife. Besides traveling, I like all forms of transportation such as cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and boats.  There are numerous car and motorcycle shows, and classic wooden boat shows regionally, and airshows at places like McClellan AFB with spectacular flight demonstrations by the Air Force Thunderbirds. For events, ACC’s Annual Golf Tournament and Awards and the My Sister’s House Fun Run have been among my recent coverages. 

What’s one of your favorite photos on display at ACC, and why is it so special to you?

“This photo from the Gallery at ACC is one of the four main bridges crossing the waterway that encircles ‘Plaza de Espana’ in Seville, Spain.  I took the photo in 2019, with my Canon 6D, using a zoom lens, set at 30 mm, on a trip through Spain. The plaza was built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 and is a fascinating mix of Baroque, Renaissance, and Moorish Revival of Spanish architecture. The huge Plaza is situated inside a large park, offers boats to row around its enclosed moat, a grand central fountain, and bridges to cross the moat. While the rest of Seville was also gorgeously beautiful, for me the Plaza de Espana was the crown jewel!” 

What advice can you give on getting started in photography? 

“You might already have a camera, but with today’s cellphones, getting into photography has never been as easy as now. Most cellphones handle so many of the photographic controls for you automatically, and the photo editing software is usually free and works pretty good.  The real question is figuring what subject(s) to shoot.   As you shoot more, you may find that you have a preference or ‘natural’ ability with certain subjects, such as people, nature, or travel.  Then look at lots of pictures in magazines, on-line, or TV. Notice how the shots are framed to capture the action and background.  Put all together, they tell the story of the event, with a beginning, middle, and an end. Eventually, you might invest in a quality camera or lenses, but first figure out the subjects you like and how best to photograph them.

Of course, the traditional method of learning is taking a class. You can take an expensive class, or check out the ones offered at ACC.  ACC is lucky to have a computer lab, and the instructors are volunteers who enjoy sharing their knowledge, and classes are small enough where you get personalized attention.” 

So, feeling bitten by the photography bug?  Want to use your new smartphone for more than just “snapshots?”  As Jeff says, it’s so easy to get into photography these days.  With the COVID pandemic, ACC has had to put in-person classes on hold, but when we reopen, check out the photo classes and meet others who want to learn. And remember, photography is all about seeing the world around us in new ways – even at our age — and capturing the images that bring our most precious moments back to life.  And seniors – be pleasantly surprised if your photos turn out very different from those taken by your Gen-Z grandchildren – even of the same subject!

Editor’s note: Editor’s note: The following article was written by Fusaye Iyeki for “Your Life History, A Guide for Writing,“ a class taught by Lora Connolly at ACC via Zoom. Ms. Iyeki is in her 90s. To sign up for the class, visit accsv.org/online. 

I was in the 6th grade when the War with Japan broke out in December 1941.  This being the final grade before graduating from Elementary School, students were treated to a special outing.  I always watched with envy and longing, with my fingers hanging on the chain link fence, as the buses were leaving for their excursion.

Now that I was finally in 6th grade, I really looked forward to this special trip.  But unfortunately, I was taken out of school in April because President Roosevelt ordered that all Japanese, as well as Japanese Americans, were to be evacuated from the Bay Area very quickly, like within two weeks. My older sister May came to take me out of school, which was very embarrassing since it happened in front of all my classmates.

We were allowed to take only a few necessary things.  I remember having to give away my new Sonja Henie doll given to me at Christmas.  She was beautiful, wearing her bonnet with fur trim around her face. I attempted to give the doll to a couple of friends down the street, but they would not answer the doorbell.  I tried several times but got no response, which was hard for me to accept.

We were bused to Tanforan Racetrack, which had been made into an Assembly Center and temporary housing, while permanent barracks were being built in various states.

It was a rainy day when we arrived at the racetrack, which was now fully fenced in.  Our housing was in the horse stalls. Our large family was assigned four stalls.  It was strange, seeing the swinging partitions in each stall dividing the front portion and the back “bedrooms.”  We had to stand in long lines for our meals. I don’t recall what was served, but I do remember that on Saturdays we had hot dogs and ice cream cups.

That summer I attended a class taught by Mr. Sugiyama.  He introduced us to the book Les Miserables, a touching story about Jean Valjean.  I was so impressed with this book.  It became my favorite and still is today.  I learned to play table tennis (ping pong) while there, competing at different recreation halls. I loved to play and became quite good at it.  I even participated in an all-camp tournament held in the Grandstand. I made it as far as the finals and was runner up to Mary Hidekawa, who won.

When our relocation center was completed, we were transported in very old trains to Topaz, Utah, our new “home” in the desert. Enroute, we were ordered to keep our shades down.  Every so often we would stop, and we were allowed to get out and stretch our legs. Soldiers were all lined up facing us, with rifles, standing at attention.

There had been a dust storm shortly before we arrived at the relocation center.  Fine powder-like dust was everywhere.  It was terrible walking through the dust to our assigned “apartments.”  To top it off, all the windows in the rooms had been left open.  What a sight it was, thick with dust everywhere! I can’t image what Papa and Mama must have felt at that time.

Our family was assigned to live in Block 7, Barrack 9, Apartments A, B, and C, located along one of the sides of the camp.  Each block had 12 apartment barracks, including a recreation hall.  There was a separate Mess Hall, latrine and shower facilities, and a laundry room with large tubs, located in the center of each block.  Our barrack was close to one of the guard towers, which made me uncomfortable.  It was also right next to the barbed wire fence surrounding Topaz.

We slowly adjusted to this new way of life.  But it was hard to get used to the fact that the stalls in the latrine were all in rows with no doors in front, which was embarrassing, particularly if you had diarrhea, which often happened after the meals.  I also remember seeing wash basins filled with crickets, which frightened me no end! Turning on the faucet was a challenge.

The food wasn’t the best—sometimes Mom was able to get some extra rice from the Mess Hall and we had Ochazuke in our “apartment” with some pickles she had made.  I had never seen a dentist during my first 12 years of life even though our next-door neighbor was a dentist.  I remember having terrific toothaches before the War, but I never complained because I knew we couldn’t afford the expense. My first experience with a dentist was in Topaz.  His name was Dr. Inukai.  He looked like a mad scientist, which wasn’t helpful.  He decided that much work had to be done.  To get started, he put a clamp in my mouth to keep it open.  After working a few minutes, he was interrupted by a phone call.  So, with the clamp still in my mouth, I waited and waited, wondering if he forgot about me.  I think it was a good half hour before he came back.  I will never forget my first dental chair experience!

I don’t remember much about going to school, but I do remember having a lot of homework, staying up late at night in the room, while everyone else was asleep.  My sister, Matsuko, was a great help when I needed it.

When a French class was offered, I jumped at it!  Why? Because my two older sisters, Matsuko and Mikiko, were quite fluent in speaking French with each other, and did so frequently, and I wanted to understand what they were saying.  Miss Loomis was an excellent French teacher.  However, after only a couple of semesters, she had to leave Topaz due to health problems.  There was no substitute, so the French class was dropped.

After living three years at Topaz, I really longed to be on the outside.  I hoped and prayed every night to be let out.  That time finally came in September 1945, just in time to enroll as a high school freshman.  I remember looking out from the back of the bus taking us away from the Camp where we’d lived for three years.  That memory will be forever etched in my mind. 

Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose 150% last year, many of them targeting the elderly. In January, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee was on his morning walk in San Francisco when an assailant ran up and shoved him to the pavement. Mr. Ratanapakdee, an immigrant from Thailand, died from his injuries.

Chinese Americans and even those who look Chinese are being blamed for COVID-19. The Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, who is married to a Korean American, recently reported that his wife, three daughters, and grandkids had experienced discrimination. Around the country, racial hate has escalated into violence.

The problem has gotten so bad that President Joe Biden issued a memorandum in January denouncing hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). During his first national address on March 11, the President went straight to the issue, saying there have been “vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who’ve been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated… It’s wrong, it’s un-American, and it must stop.” What a stark change in attitude from the previous administration.

For nearly 50 years, ACC Senior Services has worked hard to support our seniors’ health and welfare. But we did not foresee the day when we would have to protect them from racial violence.

George Floyd’s death taught us that all groups experiencing racial injustice must stand up for each other; otherwise, the plight of individual groups will be ignored. We quickly saw how a coalition of minorities became a majority demanding an end to institutional racism.

That said, I am heartened to see that more and more companies and organizations (including ACC Senior Services) are practicing “diversity, inclusion, and equity” in their operations and in how they relate to the world. In particular, “inclusion” addresses the need to work with, respect, and appreciate people who are not like ourselves. Perhaps this would have prevented Mr. Ratanapakdee’s death.

I believe that self-interest, the lack of cultural awareness, and the media are among the root causes of racism. If you agree that these are factors, then we still have a lot of work to do.

In the meantime, let’s remain vigilant in fighting all hate crimes. Report them to the police. In addition, you can report AAPI hate crimes to stopaapihate.org, which is run by Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University. They track and respond to hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, and bullying against AAPI in the United States.

When Sacramento City Councilmember Rick Jennings and his wife Cassandra willingly perform their favorite holiday song in public, you know that the cause they represent is a good one.

On Wednesday, December 16, ACC hosted “Home for the Holidays,” two-hour online musical tribute to ACC staff, volunteers, and the family caregivers that got us through 2020 and are preparing us for 2021.

ACC’s Tony Waterford kicked off the program with a big musical number, followed by a heart-warming rendition of Jingle Bells by the 40-member Franklin High School Vocal Ensemble. ACC President Darrick Lam and Board Chair Jean Shiomoto were the emcees for the two-hour extravaganza. They introduced members of the ACC community who performed and gave personal testimonies. The show was broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook from ACC’s Community Room, which was converted to a TV studio.

Aside from musical performances by Asian Pair, ACC Showstoppers, Kabang, Maeley Tom, Rick and Cassandra Jennings, Koichi and Ellie Mizushima, Carla Fontanilla, and many others, other guests appeared on the show to deliver heartfelt messages. ACC Rides Program Manager Virginia Wieneke thanked ACC Rides staff and volunteers, several residents expressed gratitude to ACC staff, and ACC COO Melanie Segar and ACC Care Center Administrator Tamara Kario shared their feelings about the challenging year that was 2020. “With hope there is a tomorrow,” said Tamara.

45 minutes into the show, ACC got word that a $40,000 gift was made to ACC Senior Services by Jim Y Louie And Chau F Louie Foundation in Sacramento. Emcee Darrick Lam made this surprise announcement on air to the delight of the 300+ people watching the program. Darrick expressed his gratitude to the Louie family for this generous gift. In addition, donors who made year-end gifts after November 15, were recognized in the scrolling ticker displayed on the program.

ACC Home for the Holidays was written and directed by Ted Fong with the help of a terrific production team: Nina Fong, Tim Corcoran, and Matt Fong. Special thanks to Lisa Poon, CFO and Interim Chief Development Officer, ACC Senior Services, for her leadership and guidance on this project.

The evening’s program include the following segments:

• 6:00 PM – Big Opening Musical Number!
• 6:05 PM – Welcoming Remarks – Darrick Lam and Jean Shiomoto
• 6:07 PM – Carla Fontanilla
• 6:16 PM – Metta Mele
• 6:21 PM – Virginia Wieneke
• 6:23 PM – Koichi & Ellie Mizushima with Alexi Ishida
• 6:32 PM – Asian Pair
• 6:42 PM – Melanie Segar and Tamara Kario
• 6:49 PM – Asian Pair
• 6:56 PM – Yesenia Jones and Family
• 7:00 PM – Maeley Tom
• 7:08 PM – Alvin Lewis, Jr.
• 7:10 PM – Joaquin’s Two-Minute Workout
• 7:13 PM – ACC Showstoppers7:18 PM – Kabang!
• 7:24 PM – ACC Residents Home for the Holidays
• 7:27 PM – Josie Blue7:32 PM – Franklin High Vocal Ensemble
• 7:37 PM – Darrick Lam7:41 PM – Rick and Cassandra Jennings
• 7:48 PM – Jeri Shikuma
• 7:50 PM – Linda Louie
• 7:56 PM – Tony Waterford
• 8:09 PM – Yesenia Jones
• 8:12 PM – Closing Remarks

Visit “ACC Home for the Holidays” event page.

By Tim Corcoran, Board Member

Prompted by a pandemic, and fueled by a determination to maintain community connection, ACC is taking its programming online.

Before COVID-19, the idea of offering some of ACC’s popular classes, workshops and concerts was considered merely a supplement to existing in-person events; something perhaps aspirational but not necessarily critical. Now, with our community sheltering-in-place and physically distancing, the virtual venue may be the only option our community has to gather for sharing, learning, and connecting. 

ACC’s commitment to Lifelong Learning and Wellness doesn’t take a break while the world is in the throes of this terrible crisis. In short order, ACC has brought a selection of its traditional in-person programming to you online, by way of social media and virtual meeting platforms Facebook, YouTube, and Zoom. Dance and yoga classes offered by Joaquin Ngarangad and Jeanie Kim-Slesicki were the first to test the team’s skills at producing live learning content, followed soon by classes for caregivers with Kris Ritualo, Soojin Yoo and Kim Fujiwara, meditation sessions with Dennis Shimosaka, a Medicare tutorial provided by Carolynn Washington, and cooking demonstrations with ACC’s own CEO, Darrick Lam. Ted Fong, who has been very “instrumental” (pun intended) behind the scenes, stepped in front of the camera himself to host a music class, joined by the fabulous singer Maeley Tom, guitarist Matt Grasso, harpist Carol Ng, and jazz musician Carla Fontanilla.

As Henry Ford said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” We thank our class and workshop instructors for helping us continue to fulfill our commitment to providing an environment of lifelong learning and wellness, through these challenging times.

Of course, classes and workshops are not the only kinds of events ACC is known for. George Connor and Mary Nakamura gave us our first live web broadcast feature-length concert, and it was spectacular! Musical delights continued with those brought to us by Pair of Docs Dennis and Janet Fisher, and a truly joyful trio, Koichi and Ellie Mizushima and Alexi Ishida. Gary Yee’s Metta Mele rang in the month of December and we look forward to bringing much more as we head into the new year.

Whether enjoying a virtual concert, or attending a participatory class or workshop, ACC’s live programming serves a very important purpose beyond education and entertainment; we strive to fight isolation by bringing our community together, while safe at home.

To learn more about ACC’s online offerings, please visit our website at www.accsv.org/online, call us at (916) 393-9026, or email infossc@accsv.org. Your feedback regarding past content, and your ideas for future content are also greatly appreciated. If you are interested in becoming a part of ACC’s online programming, whether as a volunteer providing production support or as our next talented performer or instructor, please contact Susan Sarinas at ssarinas@accsv.org.

Starting next quarter, we are pleased to introduce a new Tai Chi instructor, Robert Nakashima, who will be teaching Tai Chi for Those with Limited Mobility. He has taught Tai Chi and internal martial arts in the Sacramento area for 25 years. Robert is a former gold medalist and Grand Champion in national and international competition, specializing in traditional form and weapons. He holds a third degree black belt in Uechi Ryu Karate and is the co-founder and chief instructor of WarriorHeart, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Tai Chi, Yoga and Qigong instruction to those with chronic illness. Also new to the schedule, is Your Life History — A Guide for Writing, taught by Lora Connolly, Board Member. This is a popular workshop that has been taught at Hart Senior Center.

To view ACC’s complete online class schedule visit accsv.org/online.

Highlights of ACC Classes, Workshops and Concerts

By Titus Toyama, Board Member

ACC Senior Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Lora Connolly and Paula Mishima to the ACC Board of Directors. Lora and Paula bring a wealth of experiences and knowledge to the Board. Let’s meet them!

When Lora Connolly was getting ready to retire and people asked her what she was going to do, she replied “learn Tai Chi.” Lora found that ACC was offering Tai Chi at ACC Greenhaven Terrace. So she enrolled, and soon Tai Chi at GT became Lora’s Wednesday morning destination! 

Lora’s involvement with ACC led her to consider serving on the Board of Directors, which she joined in July 2020. We’re very fortunate to have Lora as a Board member, as she’s been working on aging and long-term care issues for over 30 years. After earning her Master’s in Gerontology at USC, Lora came to Sacramento and worked in positions with the Legislature and various state departments. Lora’s career with the State included many years with the Department of Aging, where she served as the Department’s director under the Brown Administration. ACC will surely benefit from Lora’s first-hand knowledge of many aging issues and strategies to better address California’s increasingly diverse aging population. 

For the last two years, Lora has participated in the ACC strategic planning process and, as a Board member, she will also be serving on the Program and Care Center committees. “It is an honor and privilege to have been asked to serve on the Board and focus on direct services and programs right here in this area of Sacramento.”

Lora also shares that “ACC was a very caring home to my mother-in-law, and I have many cherished memories of those visits over those last three years of her life.”  And being a life-long learner, Lora surely misses ACC’s class offerings due to COVID-19, but she’s excited about ACC’s move to offer more classes and events on-line. Her latest idea – a hybrid Zoom/outdoor Pocket area birding group! 

Paula Mishima was appointed to the ACC Board in September. Paula shares that serving on the Board brings her time in Sacramento full circle. Being new to Sacramento back in the early 1980s, she began volunteering with her Auntie Chiz and Uncle Buro at ACC’s Bingo operation. Then, as a Mom with three daughters, Paula’s volunteer work pivoted to their activities, including Jan Ken Po Gakko, Asian league basketball, and Kennedy High School. Now, with her third daughter finishing college, Paula says, “I’m ready to re-engage in community work. I was drawn back to ACC because I’m often at Greenhaven Terrace (GT) where my Auntie Chiz’s two youngest siblings now live. They have found GT a supportive and caring place to live. I’ve become more aware of the other valued services ACC provides as I listened to the stories of my middle daughter, who volunteered for the ACC Legacy Corps program until she started medical school this past July.”

A native of Berkeley, Paula brings a wealth of public sector expertise and experience to ACC. She earned her undergraduate degree from Stanford and a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Washington. Paula came to Sacramento to pursue a career in public service, first working for the Legislative Analyst’s Office, then moving on to positions in the Legislature and with the California Department of Education (CDE). Paula served as Deputy Superintendent for then-State Superintendent Delaine Eastin and continues to work at the CDE as a special projects administrator for data systems.

Although serving on the Board for just a few months, Paula has been impressed by the dedication and talent of her fellow board members and ACC management and staff. She is currently on the Finance and GT committees, where the skills honed over many years working in the public sector will be of great value!

Please join the ACC Board in welcoming Lora and Paula. We appreciate their dedication to ACC, and look forward to their contributions in helping us achieve our mission and vision!

By Glenn Watanabe

 “Busking” is the activity of playing music in the streets or other public locations. Volunteers at ACC recently organized two groups of ukulele players to do just that for the residents of ACC Greenhaven Terrace and ACC Maple Tree Village.

“Arnie’s Angels” and “Robbie’s Rascals” staged several outdoor performances at these locations to the delight of ACC residents looking for fresh air, good music, and great company. This project began with a general concern among ACC staff and volunteers that volunteers would disconnect from ACC during the pandemic. ACC Chief Operating Officer Melanie Segar met with them and came up with a list of ways volunteers could help remotely during the pandemic. Among them are:

• Making wellness calls
• Helping with language translation
• Editorial writing for print and online newsletters
• Production assistance for online streaming content
• Remote clerical assistance

In September, the Volunteer Services Committee proposed the idea of forming two small teams of ukulele players to serenade ACC residents outdoors. Committee co-chair Linda Cabatic forwarded this idea to Melanie, who immediately emailed the managers of ACC Care Center, Greenhaven Terrace (GT) and Maple Tree Village (MTV) with the offer. The offer was accepted, and thus began the process of recruiting performers. Eight players from ACC Pocket Pickers signed up immediately. Life Enrichment Coordinators Stephanie Lue and Liana Ma arranged dates and times for performances at GT and MTV.

The First Serenade — Arnie’s Angels was the first to serenade the mostly assisted living (AL) residents from the central courtyard at GT. It was a balmy 80°F, and the residents gathered on their balconies and in the AL Activity Room with the sliders open to listen and sing along with the Angels. We chose songs that were favorites of the in-house GT-AL Happy Strummers singing group (that I started in 2014). They happily swayed, tapped their feet and sang along with our 45-minute playlist.

The MTV Double Header — MTV wanted two shows, one for their Memory Care residents (MC) and one for their AL residents. On Thursday, November 5, another 80°F afternoon, the Angels played for the AL residents seated on the sidewalk surrounding the main entrance and an hour later, the Rascals performed for the MC residents in the same locale. And, like we did at GT, we sang the favorite songs from MTV’s in-house singing group, The Songbirds (that Elsie, Nami, Frank (Yamanaka) and I started in January of 2020), so the residents could sing along. Doreen Wong, whose mother resides at MTV, danced a graceful hula to our song, “Tiny Bubbles.” 

Temperatures Drop — The Rascals also performed on November 14th and 21st at GT, and it was barely 58°F. Even though their balconies were in the shade, some of the AL residents wore hooded down parkas and sat or stood on their balconies for our 45-minute show. Talk about a tough audience!

2021, Here We Come — Now that we have two experienced teams, we are starting to look at creative performing opportunities for next year. Of course, we will continue to observe the ever-changing COVID-19 safety guidelines, but these dedicated ukulele players feel optimistic about the future ahead.

Arnie’s Angels

• Arnie Marks
• Kay Sakamoto
• Peter & Susan Dileanis

Robbie’s Rascals

• Robbie Yee
• Esther Hokama
• Fran Sumida
• Randy Chinn

On November 17, 2020, ACC Senior Services began loaning laptop computers to 50 participants in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), ACC’s job training program for older adults. The refurbished laptops were purchased with a $16,400 grant from SMUD as part of its Shine Award Grant Program. 

The participants of ACC’s SCSEP program are low-income seniors who face multiple barriers to employment. Most come from underserved communities with few resources across Sacramento County. Many have raised children and grandchildren and now seek work to make ends meet. Some are veterans who are at risk of being homeless. Others were incarcerated and now want to be productive members of society. While most have worked their entire lives, they do not have the technology skills to compete in the tight COVID-era labor market.

“SCSEP is giving these seniors a human connection and the technical training to get employed during this challenging time,” says Jeri Shikuma, SCSEP Program Manager. “With SMUD’s support, ACC’s SCSEP program will help these older adults develop digital literacy skills, making them more employable.”

 The loaner laptops are refurbished models and come fully loaded with Microsoft Windows and Office applications.

“Getting one of these laptops will be a great help for me to navigate online with my distance training,” says LaTonya Anderson. “I’ve currently been using my phone to do distance learning and it’s challenging being that I am legally blind. Not only will the laptop help me with my distance learning, it will also help me greatly with job searches.”

The Pew Research Center found in 2017 that 73 percent of low-income seniors in the U.S. don’t have home broadband. Many go to senior centers and libraries to get Internet access. The pandemic has shut down that access. 

“We’re proud to partner with local nonprofits on projects that will immediately address COVID-19 impacts in underserved communities,” said SMUD CEO and General Manager Paul Lau.  “I’m looking forward to round two so we can help even more people during this unprecedented time.  By supporting our community with job training, academic support and community services, we will make a lasting impact in our neighborhoods.” 

The Shine Award Grant Program is part of SMUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative that uses innovative programs and local partnerships to help bring environmental equity and economic vitality to neighborhoods in the Sacramento area. ACC is grateful for SMUD’s partnership in helping seniors in our community find employment. For more information, visit https://www.smud.org/en/Corporate/Landing/Sustainable-Communities/Shine-awards.