Under Executive Director Cynthia Wilkerson, LBFE Boston has grown its commitment to tech access and equity as an Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP and Senior Planet licensing partner. We have offered 46 Senior Planet classes to over 281 lower income older adults at 23 different sites across Boston. Participants are provided with tech courses in over five different languages, free laptops and free internet access, empowering them to stay connected and engaged in the digital world. Read more.
This past fall, four graduate students from Boston University, Deanthony Nachampasak, Zihan Zhang, Dinghan Meng & Caleb Tsegaye, partnered with LBFE Boston to create a multimedia project for their Online Journalism course about bridging the digital divide for older adults. It shares stories, data, research, and interviews with LBFE Boston Digital Dividends program participants, student volunteers, and staff, as well as community partners, East Boston and Peterborough Senior Centers. Read and watch their story, From Isolation to Connection: Older Adults Embrace Tech at Local Centers.
We are SO excited for our new photo wall that will be traveling around the city and future LBFE Boston events, so we can capture fun photos and memories of our program participants, supporters, and community partners all year long! Made possible by a partnership with Showtime Photo Booth, who have been providing memorable photo experiences in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles since 2013.
Thank you to the American Tower Foundation for awarding LBFE Boston a generous grant to support our Digital Dividends program! This funding will provide all the supplies needed for a full year of programming for every older adult participant including laptop case, stylus, mouse, notebook, headphones, and more. With ATF’s help , we are bridging the digital divide for older adults in public/affordable senior housing, providing them with the necessary tools they need to stay connected.
As a leader in promoting digital equity and literacy for older adults in Boston, we’re excited to share insights on the impact of our Digital Dividends program. We hope other organizations can learn from our success. Check out the recent blog post by the Massachusetts Councils on Aging, which features LBFE and other resources on this subject.
We’re thrilled to share this inspiring piece produced by UnitedHealthcare about LBFE Boston and our mission to combat isolation among older adults. UHC shines a spotlight on our efforts to build meaningful intergenerational connections in the community, thanks to a $90,000 grant awarded to LBFE Boston. With these funds we were able to hire a second CitySites program manager and DOUBLE the reach of our programs across the Boston metro area. Check out the article here.
This past spring, two students from Boston University, Zichane and Julia, partnered with LBFE Boston to create a multimedia reporting project for their global health storytelling course. In their research, Julia and Eva investigate the benefits of regular meetings between groups of college students and local older adults participating in LBFE Boston’s programs. Read their story, The Domino Effects of Integenerational Relationships Among Boston’s Residents, here. Thank you for choosing LBFE Boston, our programs and participants as the focus of your project!
Elena Eberwein, Associate Producer of GBH News, joined us for our Multi-Generational Mixer in celebration of Global Intergenerational Week 2024! View her segment on the importance of intergenerational friendships here.
GBH News Reporter, Craig LeMoult, recently interviewed LBFE Boston Executive Director, Cynthia Wilkerson, and older adult Digital Dividends program participant, Dana Hayden, on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and the impact it will have if Congress does not renew this benefit for 23 million Americans (including 367,000 MA residents, and 50,000 Bostonians. Read the article here.
LBFE Boston invites you to celebrate Global Intergenerational Week with us! Come to Fenway Community Center on Thursday, 4/25 at 4:00 -5:30 pm….Bring a friend, get to know your neighbors of all ages & enjoy some light refreshments. 1282 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215 (entrance on Jersey St). There is no cost to attend. Paid parking is nearby.
For more information, contact Jean at 617-524-8882 or jdemayo.bos@littlebrothers.org
Alex Lauer, featured editor from InsideHook, recently connected with Yongjae and Toniy who are CitySites participants at Back of the Hill apartments in Jamaica Plain. Together they discussed the mutual benefit of intergenerational friendships and how preventing social isolation is vital, across generations. Read more here.
Global Intergenerational Week is 4/24-4/30/24 and LBFE Boston is a proud participant and supporter! This is an annual campaign celebrating all things intergenerational! Together, we can inspire others to fully embrace intergenerational practice, connecting people of different generations in intentional, mutually beneficial activities! Get involved, click here for more information on becoming a supporter!
LBFE Boston is thrilled to announce the appointment of Cynthia Wilkerson as LBFE’s new Executive Director! Cynthia isn’t a new face at LBFE – she brings over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector and has been a driving force within our organization since joining back in 2015. During her tenure, Cynthia has spearheaded the design and evaluation of our programs, championing the power of intergenerational connection. Her dedication extends beyond LBFE; Cynthia is currently an inaugural Eisner Prize Fellow, developing Gen2GenQ, an innovative LGBTQIA+ intergenerational network. Read the press release here.
“Teresa Castro, a participant in the Spanish language class at Nuestra Comunidad, told GBH News through a translator that a lot of people told her she was too old to learn [digital skills]. But she is proving them wrong.” GBH News Associate Producer, Elena Eberwein, recently visited one of LBFE Boston’s Digital Dividends programs, and shared our efforts to bridge the digital equity gap in Boston using an intergenerational model. Read more here.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Evening News anchor and host of New England Weekend, Nichole Davis, recently invited LBFE Boston Executive Director, Nikki Shults, on the weekend show to discuss our mission, programs, and holiday plans. Listen to the segment here.
Courtney Cole, WBZ/CBS Boston Morning anchor, recently visited our CitySites Tech Cafe at community partner Operation P.E.A.C.E Boston‘s Peterborough Senior Center. Courtney chatted with our older and younger program participants, and witnessed the importance of intergenerational friendships & digital literacy/equity for all in preventing social isolation! Watch the full segment here!
The Surgeon General of the United States recently issued an advisory on our nation’s loneliness epidemic and it highlights the devastating impact that loneliness and social isolation can have on both physical and mental health. This website shares information and resources on how you can help yourself or someone you love.
Cynthia Wilkerson, LBFE Boston Program Director, and Prize Fellow of The Eisner Foundation recently launched Gen2GenQ, a new program connecting LGBTQIA older and younger adults in the Boston area and building community across generations. Interested in making new friends? Please contact Cynthia for more info at: cwilkerson.bos@littlebrothers.org
Massachusetts just released a new podcast that tells stories of the age- and dementia-friendly movement taking place in our Commonwealth. Episodes, including one featuring LBFE Boston, focus on how communities are updating infrastructure, food accessibility, expanding affordable supportive housing, increasing transportation options, and much more! The podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and online. Check it out!
LBFE Boston recently championed the seventh annual, national Digital Inclusion Week – a crucial platform to celebrate and amplify the community-driven initiatives that are breaking down digital barriers—one connection, one device, and one skill at a time. At our request, the City of Boston and the State of MA lit up four bridges and Boston City Hall as a symbol of digital literacy, equity, and inclusion. Read the press release here.
Cynthia Wilkerson, Program Director of LBFE Boston – Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, was recently awarded as one of The Eisner Foundation 2023 Prize Fellows. Her project, Gen2GenQ, will create intergenerational opportunities around Boston for older and college-age queer people. Read more here. Congratulations, Cynthia!
The Huntington News, the independent newspaper of Northeastern University, recently featured LBFE Boston following a news staff’s visit to one of our Digital Dividends program sites. In this article, Katy Manning explores how we help generations to connect and form friendships and also interviews older program participants, LBFE co-ops from Northeastern, and our Executive Director, Nikki Shults.
Beloved radio personality, Candy O’Terry, recently hosted LBFE Boston’s Executive Director, Nikki Shults, on The Story Behind Her Success. Listen to Nikki’s heartwarming and inspirational interview where she shares her personal connection to the career path she walks today: celebrating life with older adults.
Boston Neighborhood Network recently visited our CitySites intergenerational program at Smith House to meet with older and younger program participants, learn about the issue of social isolation, and witness first-hand the joy created by connection.
Faith Imafidon, BNN anchor, discusses LBFE Boston’s mission, programming for older adults, social isolation, and the impact of intergenerational friendships with Nikki Shults in this recent interview.
Students from Northeastern University’s Digital Storytelling & Social Media service-learning class discuss Bridging the Generational Gap in this recently published article.
LBFE Boston invites you to celebrate Global Intergenerational Week with us! Come to Fenway Community Center on Thursday, 4/25 at 4:00 -5:30 pm….Bring a friend, get to know your neighbors of all ages & enjoy some light refreshments. 1282 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215 (entrance on Jersey St). There is no cost to attend. Paid parking is nearby.
Click HERE to RSVP, or for more information, contact Jean at 617-524-8882 or jdemayo.bos@littlebrothers.org
Alex Lauer, featured editor from InsideHook, recently connected with Yongjae and Toniy who are CitySites participants at Back of the Hill apartments in Jamaica Plain. Together they discussed the mutual benefit of intergenerational friendships and how preventing social isolation is vital, across generations. Read more here.
Global Intergenerational Week is 4/24-4/30/24 and LBFE Boston is a proud participant and supporter! This is an annual campaign celebrating all things intergenerational! Together, we can inspire others to fully embrace intergenerational practice, connecting people of different generations in intentional, mutually beneficial activities! Get involved, click here for more information on becoming a supporter!
LBFE Boston is thrilled to announce the appointment of Cynthia Wilkerson as LBFE’s new Executive Director! Cynthia isn’t a new face at LBFE – she brings over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector and has been a driving force within our organization since joining back in 2015. During her tenure, Cynthia has spearheaded the design and evaluation of our programs, championing the power of intergenerational connection. Her dedication extends beyond LBFE; Cynthia is currently an inaugural Eisner Prize Fellow, developing Gen2GenQ, an innovative LGBTQIA+ intergenerational network. Read the press release here.
“Teresa Castro, a participant in the Spanish language class at Nuestra Comunidad, told GBH News through a translator that a lot of people told her she was too old to learn [digital skills]. But she is proving them wrong.” GBH News Associate Producer, Elena Eberwein, recently visited one of LBFE Boston’s Digital Dividends programs, and shared our efforts to bridge the digital equity gap in Boston using an intergenerational model. Read more here.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Evening News anchor and host of New England Weekend, Nichole Davis, recently invited LBFE Boston Executive Director, Nikki Shults, on the weekend show to discuss our mission, programs, and holiday plans. Listen to the segment here.
Courtney Cole, WBZ/CBS Boston Morning anchor, recently visited our CitySites Tech Cafe at community partner Operation P.E.A.C.E Boston‘s Peterborough Senior Center. Courtney chatted with our older and younger program participants, and witnessed the importance of intergenerational friendships & digital literacy/equity for all in preventing social isolation! Watch the full segment here!
The Surgeon General of the United States recently issued an advisory on our nation’s loneliness epidemic and it highlights the devastating impact that loneliness and social isolation can have on both physical and mental health. This website shares information and resources on how you can help yourself or someone you love.
Cynthia Wilkerson, LBFE Boston Program Director, and Prize Fellow of The Eisner Foundation recently launched Gen2GenQ, a new program connecting LGBTQIA older and younger adults in the Boston area and building community across generations. Interested in making new friends? Please contact Cynthia for more info at: cwilkerson.bos@littlebrothers.org
Massachusetts just released a new podcast that tells stories of the age- and dementia-friendly movement taking place in our Commonwealth. Episodes, including one featuring LBFE Boston, focus on how communities are updating infrastructure, food accessibility, expanding affordable supportive housing, increasing transportation options, and much more! The podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and online. Check it out!
LBFE Boston recently championed the seventh annual, national Digital Inclusion Week – a crucial platform to celebrate and amplify the community-driven initiatives that are breaking down digital barriers—one connection, one device, and one skill at a time. At our request, the City of Boston and the State of MA lit up four bridges and Boston City Hall as a symbol of digital literacy, equity, and inclusion. Read the press release here.
Cynthia Wilkerson, Program Director of LBFE Boston – Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, was recently awarded as one of The Eisner Foundation 2023 Prize Fellows. Her project, Gen2GenQ, will create intergenerational opportunities around Boston for older and college-age queer people. Read more here. Congratulations, Cynthia!
The Huntington News, the independent newspaper of Northeastern University, recently featured LBFE Boston following a news staff’s visit to one of our Digital Dividends program sites. In this article, Katy Manning explores how we help generations to connect and form friendships and also interviews older program participants, LBFE co-ops from Northeastern, and our Executive Director, Nikki Shults.
Beloved radio personality, Candy O’Terry, recently hosted LBFE Boston’s Executive Director, Nikki Shults, on The Story Behind Her Success. Listen to Nikki’s heartwarming and inspirational interview where she shares her personal connection to the career path she walks today: celebrating life with older adults.
Boston Neighborhood Network recently visited our CitySites intergenerational program at Smith House to meet with older and younger program participants, learn about the issue of social isolation, and witness first-hand the joy created by connection.
Faith Imafidon, BNN anchor, discusses LBFE Boston’s mission, programming for older adults, social isolation, and the impact of intergenerational friendships with Nikki Shults in this recent interview.
Students from Northeastern University’s Digital Storytelling & Social Media service-learning class discuss Bridging the Generational Gap in this recently published article.