Digital Skills Learners Graduate Goodwill Program with New Laptops

July 22, 2025

A Hub of Hope in Cape Coral

Inside a Goodwill Store in Cape Coral, Florida is a small community center full of heart. Goodwill Industries‘ West Cape Coral Community Resource Center is a place where local residents can access computers and learn important digital skills to help them advance in today’s world. From younger students to working adults to seniors, Goodwill has a program for everyone.

Angela Hemstreet is the Director of Employment Services at Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. She talks about the organization’s Digital Navigator Certificate and how their students can participate in the program.

Ashley Price, Director of Development, and Angela Hemstreet, Director of Employment Services at Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. pose in the Cape Coral community center.

Digital Skills for School, Work and Life

“When someone who wants to be a Digital Navigator comes into our center, we get them started with the real basics,” Hemstreet explained. “We make an account for them for their courses. If they don’t have an email yet, we set that up for them so they can get into the account.”

For younger adults that are still in high school, the goal is to get them to a level where they use technology to succeed in their classes and get their education. Working adults can gain skills allowing them to apply to jobs online or improve their resumes. And for seniors, digital skills can help them with things that have moved online over the years like banking, medical appointments or even booking a vacation. The program is designed to meet all students where they are and give them the skills to move forward.

Seven Steps to Success and a Gift that Keeps on Giving

“The people who graduated today have seven certificates,” Hemstreet said. “They start with computer basics, then move into internet basics, email basics, internet safety, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.”

On behalf of Comcast, the five Digital Navigator Certificate graduates went home with a brand-new laptop.

Maryury Guzman receives her laptop from Carolyn Johnson, Chief Mission & Development Officer at Goodwill Industries Southwest Florida, Jen Boyett of Comcast and Ashley Price of Goodwill.

Voices of Gratitude and Growth

Maryury Guzman was one of those graduates and expressed her thanks as well as how much fun she had learning with her fellow students.

“In this class, I was able to learn about digital skills that I had no knowledge of that are crucial nowadays,” Guzman said. “Having a laptop at home is vital and not everyone has the privilege to have one. It’s important to learn how to use it properly. Thank you Comcast for giving us the opportunity to access these laptops and expand our digital skills.”

Caridad Fonseca also graduated from the program. She was thankful for a program that was geared towards her demographic and stressed the importance of learning digital skills at an older age.

“Back in the day when I was younger, technology played a different role. Now that we are in a new era, it’s crucial that the senior community stay up to date and as informed as possible of the digital evolution,” Fonseca said. “It’s important for intellectual development at our age. I am very grateful for this program and I love what it stands for.”

“Back in the day when I was younger, technology played a different role. Now that we are in a new era, it’s crucial that the senior community stay up to date and as informed as possible of the digital evolution.”
Caridad Fonseca, digital navigator program graduate

The Digital Navigator graduates, Maryury Guzman, Yamelys Perez, Olga Rodriguez, Glenna Brugal, and Caridad Fonseca, smile with their new laptops.

Another graduate, Olga Rodriguez, addressed the room and shared how the Digital Navigator program impacted her. Instructors said she has gone above and beyond, going through many more courses than what is required. She gained a passion for artificial intelligence (AI) and learning how to interact with it.

“For me, having this technology is very important, especially now. It helps me do research, especially about AI. I want to study it so much more and having this computer will help me do that from home,” Rodriguez said. “So many people don’t know how important AI is and will continue to become.”

Comcast’s Jen Boyett distributes the new laptops.

Building Digital Confidence Together

Jen Boyett is Comcast’s Director of Government Affairs for Southwest Florida. She’s worked alongside Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. to bring this partnership to life.

“It is so rewarding to send these Digital Navigators home with a laptop today. It will allow them to apply all that they learned to their real life and also continue to expand their skills,” Boyett said. “I’d like to thank Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida for all they do in the community to bridge the digital divide.”

“The laptops from Comcast won’t just help one individual, it will be used by the whole household,” Hemstreet said. “It will allow these graduates to keep learning but also share their skills and new resources with others.”