Connecting residents creates pathways for success. Access to technology and educational resources are lacking across the State of Ohio, especially in the service area Oak Hill Collaborative serves. In Ashtabula County, OHC has been providing these services together with Connect Your Community for nearly a year now.
One year isn’t enough time to resolve decades-long gaps in access, however, it is certainly enough time to begin making positive impacts in the daily lives of residents who have been disconnected for too long.
Betty Jackson, who lives in Ashtabula’s Metropolitan Housing, has never owned a computer, a laptop, or tablet. After suffering from a health incident and becoming disabled, she had been recommended to participate in OHC’s programming to get out of the house and to stay active, which she greatly misses.
Jackson began classes just to learn technology. Through the classes she attended, she also qualified to earn a free, refurbished laptop.
“I’ve never owned a computer. It’s amazing. I find myself waking up in the middle of the night going and getting on it. I can’t believe I have one. It’s been a blessing to me, you don’t know how much it’s occupied me, and my thinking, and everything,” Jackson explained.
Now equipped with a laptop from OHC, she enjoys scrolling through Facebook, browsing shopping platforms, and reading up on medications she is prescribed. It’s a long way from where she started.
“I didn’t even know how to turn on the device,” Jackson mentioned. With cost being the biggest reason she had never owned a device, she felt nervous to learn, feeling behind the curve. Now, she’s exploring her interests with ease.
“I love music. I have gotten so many old songs from the past,” Jackson explained. “I’m going to make a ledger with all those old songs to play at birthday parties or picnics or barbecues when we throw down.”
Like Jackson, Cynthia Heath has been trying to learn technology for years to help with her hobbies, such as embroidery.
“I was very excited about these classes and being able to get help,” Heath said. “I have an embroidery program that I’m trying to learn. For two years I’ve had different people try to help me learn [technology] to comprehend how to purchase a product, download it, extract it, put it in a file, in a folder … I’m still learning. I love the fact we can come in after the initial program and they can help with any questions we have.”
Health explained that the instructors, Antoinette and Stephen, are one of the best parts of Oak Hill Collaborative’s programming, always able to help, answer questions, and remain patient. “I don’t know if there’s anything that we have asked that they can’t help us with. It’s just wonderful, and this is all free, I mean it’s amazing,” Health said.
Samuel Chatman, a retired veteran, helps his church in many ways, but when it came to technology-related tasks however, he needed somewhere to start.
“I don’t know much about navigating through a laptop, or my phone really,” Chatman said. “I wanted to learn how to use [Microsoft] Excel to make a chart for my church, the functions that go on.”
Chatman, who earned a laptop through OHC’s Hardware 4 Homes Program thanked OHC for the opportunities we brought to the community, the classes, and its instructors.
“I would just like to thank you all for the programs and what you’re doing for the community. This has to be a God-given program, because people don’t just give out computers because they’re very expensive. Plus, you’re taking time to show [residents] how to use it if they don’t know already,” Chatman explained.
Classes in Ashtabula are at the Ashtabula Community Technology Action Center two days a week. Registration is required. To register for classes, please call (330) 406-0731 or click the link below:
Ashtabula Computer Class Registration – Fill out form
