Kansas City organizations earn grants to raise computer literacy

By DIANE STAFFORD

stafford@kcstar.com

04/13/2015 3:00 PM

04/13/2015 9:38 PM

An anonymous panel of local and out-of-town experts chooses fund recipients.

Wendy Guillies, acting president of the Kauffman Foundation, said digital inclusion has been an important study area for the foundation and is essential to metro-area growth.

There’s no quick fix, Guillies said, but “we also know that the answer lies with the individuals and organizations already working in the community.”

The local grant recipients :

ArtsTech, which trains high school students at Hogan Academy and senior citizens, focusing on spreading computer skills in the Kansas City’s Blue Hills and Town Fork Creek neighborhoods.

Connecting for Good, which offers computer classes and refurbished computers to its class graduates, particularly in northeast Wyandotte County and neighborhoods east of Troost Avenue in Kansas City.

The Hispanic Economic Development Corp., which sponsors computer classes in English and Spanish in seven locations, including its West Side Kansas City base.

The Kansas City Public Library, which is developing a permanent training space in the Central Library and developing a community outreach program.

Trinity Community Church and the Shepherd’s Center, which offer technology classes to seniors and Spanish speakers in Kansas City, Kan.

Literacy Kansas City, a new grant recipient this year, which is providing digital skills classes at four locations across the metro area.

Carrie Coogan, executive director at Literacy Kansas City, said digital fluency was a vital part of modern literacy.

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