A Partnership of Youth & Older Adults
When nonprofits and businesses partner - success is inevitable!
Introducing the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Virtual Reality Amusement Park
Thanks to a generous grant from the Children's Services Council of Leon County, in partnership with Covalent Reality, the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program conducted our launch on August 27th at the Jake Gaither Community Center in Tallahassee, which allowed youth to partner with older adults in a fun and engaging virtual reality amusement park designed just for them.
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Prototype 8/9/22
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Final for launch on 8/27/22
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DRMI is the proud recipient of a generous $15,793 grant from the Children's Services Council of Leon County to expand our program for this summer to serve more youth! This is a FREE program for youth and older adults. Listen to a testimonial from one of our outstanding Geeks and impacts shared from some of the participating older adults.
Summer 2022
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Other Components of the Summer Program included Microsoft Office training at the computer lab of Mt. Olive Affordable Housing and CDC in Frenchtown.
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DRMI is actively recruiting:
* Youth ages 8-18 interested in teaching older adults digital and internet integrity, and cyber/internet security.
* Older adults interested in serving as mentors for youth and sharing their knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) via virtual platforms called Senior Moments.
To register, scan the QR code below for adults - click HERE or youth click HERE
* Youth ages 8-18 interested in teaching older adults digital and internet integrity, and cyber/internet security.
* Older adults interested in serving as mentors for youth and sharing their knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) via virtual platforms called Senior Moments.
To register, scan the QR code below for adults - click HERE or youth click HERE
Adult Volunteers
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Youth "Geek" Application
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DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program Launches
SENIOR MOMENTS
DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program is proud to announce the launch of its SENIOR MOMENTS series. Meet our first exemplary senior, Mrs. Nancy O'Farrell, Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Health, Tallahassee Chapter. Click Nancy's picture below to view her full story on the DRMI Geeks & Gramps YouTube channel. Senior Moments offers seniors an opportunity to share their thoughts, feelings, expertise, advice and words of wisdom with other seniors and youth in our community. WE ARE SEEKING OTHER SENIORS TO SHARE YOUR STORY. Please complete an application or visit our website for more information.
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DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program Highlighted in Our Main Sponsor (RRF Foundation for Aging) Issue Brief
Engaged and Thriving: Promoting Social and Intergenerational Connectedness highlights the crisis of #socialisolation and #loneliness and introduces some of the solutions that @RRFAging is supporting including the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program. Click either picture to learn more.
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Check Us Out On WCTV (click the picture)
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
DRMI's Geeks & Gramps (grandparents) Program is a secular (non-religious) program that provides FREE technology support and training for seniors facilitated by youth ages 8-18. The DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program has been awarded a $15,000 direct services grant from the Foundation for Aging. This grant allows DRMI to partner with the Center for Ethnic Psychological Research & Application (CEPRA) of the College of Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Gadsden Senior Center and other local senior and community centers. CEPRA/FAMU will assist DRMI in group comparison and research on social emotional outcomes, mental wellness outcomes and technology competency of participating older adults and youth before/after program interactions. The Corona Virus pandemic, social and political action, and economic downturn has many of us trying to figure out just what our "new normal" will look like. Some older adults lack the confidence to effectively use technology to stay connected. The DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program helps seniors feel more inclusive by sharing their own stories and mentoring youth through Senior Moments, and keeps older adults engaged in life-long learning, social inclusion, and cultivation of intergenerational relationships. Youth (Geeks) develop life skills, leadership and work-readiness skills and explore ageism and age stereotypes, learn how to embrace the differences and use the similarities to bridge the generation gap and ways to narrow it. Youth and Seniors are inspired to volunteer and understand the importance of community service and its positive impact on their community. Thanks to a generous grant from the Children's Services Council of Leon County, in partnership with Covalent Reality, the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program conducted our launch on August 27th at the Jake Gaither Community Center in Tallahassee, which allowed youth to partner with older adults in a fun and engaging virtual reality amusement park designed just for them.
DRMI's Geeks & Gramps (grandparents) Program is a secular (non-religious) program that provides FREE technology support and training for seniors facilitated by youth ages 8-18. The DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program has been awarded a $15,000 direct services grant from the Foundation for Aging. This grant allows DRMI to partner with the Center for Ethnic Psychological Research & Application (CEPRA) of the College of Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Gadsden Senior Center and other local senior and community centers. CEPRA/FAMU will assist DRMI in group comparison and research on social emotional outcomes, mental wellness outcomes and technology competency of participating older adults and youth before/after program interactions. The Corona Virus pandemic, social and political action, and economic downturn has many of us trying to figure out just what our "new normal" will look like. Some older adults lack the confidence to effectively use technology to stay connected. The DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program helps seniors feel more inclusive by sharing their own stories and mentoring youth through Senior Moments, and keeps older adults engaged in life-long learning, social inclusion, and cultivation of intergenerational relationships. Youth (Geeks) develop life skills, leadership and work-readiness skills and explore ageism and age stereotypes, learn how to embrace the differences and use the similarities to bridge the generation gap and ways to narrow it. Youth and Seniors are inspired to volunteer and understand the importance of community service and its positive impact on their community. Thanks to a generous grant from the Children's Services Council of Leon County, in partnership with Covalent Reality, the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program conducted our launch on August 27th at the Jake Gaither Community Center in Tallahassee, which allowed youth to partner with older adults in a fun and engaging virtual reality amusement park designed just for them.
“Having a meaningful life doesn’t necessarily mean that life needs to be pain-free or without physical impairment or functional limitations. What it means is to remain engaged humanly, and get enough support from others or technology to engage in the activities that matter, that make life meaningful.”
–Carol Gill, PhD (APA Monitor, December, 2017)
–Carol Gill, PhD (APA Monitor, December, 2017)
THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING SUPPORTERS/SPONSORS:
Children's Services Council of Leon County: https://cscleon.org/
The Foundation for Aging visit: https://www.rrf.org/apply-for-a-grant/
The Awesome Foundation visit: https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/tallahassee
ROSS STORES visit: Store Based Giving Guidelines - Ross Corporate Website - Ross Stores, Inc.
Center for Ethnic Psychological Research & Application (CEPRA)/Dept. of Psychology at FAMU: http://cssah.famu.edu/departments-and-centers/center-for-ethnic-psychological-research-and-application/index.php
City of Tallahassee
Leon County
Logo for the Children's Services Council of Leon County
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Logo for the Retirement Research Foundation
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The Awesome Foundation
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We are recruiting innovative seniors and tech savvy youth ages 8-18 for the Geeks & Gramps Program. For more information call 877-572-3399 ext 4 for details.
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The Geeks & Gramps Program provides an opportunity for social and intergenerational connectedness and engagement between seniors and youth 8-18. It helps to bridge generational gaps and bridges the digital divide by helping seniors to stay connected to family, friends, neighbors and community members. Youth learn life skills that can be used for a lifetime, and seniors feel more confident with technology. The Geeks & Gramps Program helps seniors have a stronger sense of purpose and well-being, and youth are transformed through volunteerism.
Click HERE to view media coverage by WCTV of the Geeks & Gramps Program held at the Gadsden Senior Services Center in Quincy, FL on June 17, 2019 (we visited them again on January 3, 2020). We also thank the Gadsden Senior Services Center in Chattahoochee, FL which sponsored the program on July 29, 2019.
Click HERE to view media coverage by WCTV of the Geeks & Gramps Program held at the Gadsden Senior Services Center in Quincy, FL on June 17, 2019 (we visited them again on January 3, 2020). We also thank the Gadsden Senior Services Center in Chattahoochee, FL which sponsored the program on July 29, 2019.
2020-2021 DRMI Geeks & Gramps Goes Virtual
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In case you missed it live, visit DRMI's YouTube Channel
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eLueF6L4Fuc
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Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6TFOqOgynVk
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2020 Gadsden Senior Center in Quincy, FL
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Created by "Geek" Aaron Thomas, 2020
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2019
