Today we’d like to introduce you to RJ Reyes.
Hi RJ, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
We watched our close communities struggle with the technology the world moved to. Doctor’s offices went to patient portals. Banks went mobile. Scammers got smarter. And the people who never needed this technology were now expected to figure it out on their own.
We couldn’t just watch it happen. We kept asking the same question: why is nobody teaching these people? Not how to use a smartphone, but how to access their healthcare, protect themselves from fraud, and stay independent in a world that went digital without them. This wasn’t a learning gap. It was an access and trust gap.
So in March 2025, we launched Growing Older Living Digitally — GOLD. We’re a North Carolina 501(c)(3) that provides free digital literacy education to adults 50 and older. We don’t do generic tech classes. We run immersive Digital Health & Safety Labs where participants learn to manage digital health portals, safely use AI-powered tools, and detect and prevent financial scams — all in a community-based setting built on trust, not frustration.
In just over a year, we’ve served more than 5,000 seniors across 14 states. 92% report increased confidence with technology. 90% say they feel safer from scams. We’re now partnering with major names in healthcare and technology who see what we see — that this problem isn’t going away, and the momentum is only growing.
Every essential system now requires digital access. We’re making sure getting older doesn’t mean getting locked out. Access doesn’t equal ability, and we’re building the bridge.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road and we wouldn’t expect it to be. When we started, the biggest challenge was helping people see what we saw. The digital divide affecting older adults isn’t new, but the way it needed to be addressed was. It took time for organizations to understand that this wasn’t about teaching people how to use a smartphone. It was about closing an access and trust gap that was leaving millions of people behind. That shift in thinking doesn’t happen in one conversation. It’s been a process of showing up, proving the impact, and letting the results speak.
Along the way, one of the biggest challenges was sharpening that message for ourselves too. There are digital literacy programs out there. Most of them teach surface-level skills. We had to go through a real process of understanding that our value is something deeper; it’s restoring independence and confidence in people who were told the world just moved on without them. That clarity came from being in the room with seniors, seeing what they actually needed, and building around that.
And then there’s the reality of building a nonprofit from the ground up. The logistics of going from an idea to a fully operational 501(c)(3) — governance, systems, partnerships, programming — all while maintaining the quality of what we deliver. That part doesn’t get talked about enough.
But every one of those challenges sharpened what GOLD is today. The early conversations that took patience taught us how to tell our story better. The identity question made our model stronger. And the process of building the organization made sure we never lost sight of why we started.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My career path hasn’t exactly been a straight line, and I think that’s what makes it work. I studied business administration and marketing at Coastal Carolina with a specialization in Professional Golf Management. I was building a career in that world when COVID hit and reshuffled everything. That transition led me into the fitness industry full time, and I’ve been working as a certified wellness and performance coach ever since. I got into it because I went through my own transformation and know firsthand what it takes to change your life, and how much it matters to have someone in your corner who actually gets it.
That thread is what eventually led to GOLD. The same thing that drives my coaching drives this work. When you’ve been on the other side of feeling overwhelmed by something everyone else seems to understand, you show up differently for people. Whether it’s someone trying to get healthy or a senior trying to navigate a patient portal for the first time, the work is the same: meet them where they are and help them believe they can do it.
What sets me apart is that I’m a builder. I might not always be the first to spot the problem, but once I see it, I figure out how to solve it and I move. Every career change, every pivot, every new venture started because something clicked and I went after it. That’s how GOLD went from an idea to a nonprofit that’s changed lives in 14 states in just over a year.
What I’m most proud of is that none of this was planned, and all of it was necessary. The golf career, the fitness career, GOLD. Every turn taught me something I needed for the next one. And none of it would be possible without our team, our volunteers, and the wonderful community partners who believed in this before it was easy to. We’re building something that’s changing lives in a way I never could have mapped out.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are a lot of ways to get involved with GOLD, and we welcome all of them.
If you’re part of a company in healthcare, financial services, or technology, we’re always looking for corporate partners who want to make a real impact in their communities. We’ve built a model that works, and the right partnerships help us bring it to more people faster.
If you run or work at a senior center, library, or community organization (and you’re within driving distance of Raleigh of course), we’d love to talk about hosting one of our Digital Health & Safety Labs at your location. We bring everything to you.
If you’re part of another organization doing work in digital equity, aging services, or community health, we’re always open to collaboration. This problem is bigger than any one group, and we love connecting with people who are pulling in the same direction.
If you want to volunteer your time, we’re actively building our team of instructors and could use people who care about this work.
And if you just want to support what we’re doing financially, every dollar goes directly toward keeping our programs free for the people who need them most.
The easiest way to start is to reach out. Visit us at www.live-gold.org or send us a message on Facebook, Instagram, or email. We’re not hard to find and we’re always happy to talk.
Pricing:
- All GOLD programs are completely free for participants.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.live-gold.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livegoldorg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livegoldorg
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growingolderlivingdigitally
