Special to the Tines
On December 12, hundreds of older adults visited Boston City Hall for the annual Holiday Connections event, hosted by Boston’s AgeStrong Commission and AT&T. This long-standing collaboration has been held for more than 30 years and provides Boston’s older adults with one-on-one technology help, scam and fraud prevention workshops, safety presentations, free domestic and international calling and a day of fun holiday activities.
“Age Strong is so grateful to partner with AT&T on our Holiday Connections event,” said Emily K. Shea, Boston’s Age Strong Commissioner. “Hundreds of Boston’s older residents will have the opportunity to connect with loved ones across the world, learn new tips for their technology, and enjoy the day together.
The festive event provided breakfast, lunch, holiday-themed activities, hot cocoa bar, music, information booths, and artisan crafts made by members of Boston’s older adult community.
In addition to providing a phone bank allowing free domestic and international calls, AT&T and the Boston Police Department presented a Digital Safety workshop about scam/fraud prevention, cyber-safety and general technology training. AT&T technicians also worked one-on-one with guests to help with their phones, tablets and other connected technology and troubleshooting.
“We are grateful for partnerships like this one that create an opportunity for our officers to connect with Boston’s older adults about ways to protect themselves from scammers and other dangers,” said Commissioner Michael Cox, Boston Police Department. “Community policing is about building trust and connecting with people and we are happy to be part of this great event.”
Since the start of 2024, AT&T and the Boston Police Department have collaborated on a citywide effort to educate older adults about digital safety and scam/fraud prevention, hosting 25 workshops in nearly every city neighborhood.
The Boston Fire Department and the Boston Police Department Crime Stoppers also gave safety presentations to attendees.
“Technology allows older adults freedom, convenience, and communication, and it is important that they have the resources to enjoy the digital world safely and securely,” said John Emra, President, AT&T Northeast Region. “We are grateful to Mayor Wu, Commissioner Shea and AgeStrong, Boston Police and Boston Fire for their collaboration and commitment to keeping Boston’s older adults safely connected. We hope this event provides the warmth of connection with loved ones, the confidence to harness the power of technology, and a lot of holiday joy.”