This Veterans Day, GrandPad, Delta, and the Best Defense Foundation are joining forces to support WWII veterans, making it a day of gratitude and connection.
GrandPad, the Minnesota-based company dedicated to serving seniors with safe, easy-to-use tech solutions, is teaming up with Delta Air Lines and the Best Defense Foundation to honor World War II veterans. Together, they’re providing GrandPad tablets to these remarkable individuals, helping them stay connected with family, friends, and fellow veterans through simple, senior-friendly technology.
Bringing Heroes Together
The idea for this partnership stemmed from Delta’s community volunteer program, which pairs employees with a WWII veteran to build a relationship and offer support throughout the year. Volunteers craved a better way to stay connected so they could prevent these heroes from the impacts of isolation that may come when facing challenges with traditional tech. Delta’s Enterprise Sales Manager and Normandy Project Leader, Virginie Durr, who struggled to stay connected with her veteran friend, Andy Negra, found a perfect solution with GrandPad. Unlike many devices that feel “designed by a 30-year-old for a 30-year-old,” GrandPad is thoughtfully crafted for older adults, addressing the unique vision, hearing, and dexterity needs they face. Virginie and Andy now connect more often and without the tech frustrations. A few taps let them share photos, hop on a video call, or play a game, making each interaction simple and meaningful.
“It's an absolute honor to work with Delta and the Best Defense Foundation to support our WWII veterans,” said Scott Lien, GrandPad CEO and co-founder. “We’re all about designing tech solutions that are accessible and fun to help seniors live a grander life. This partnership lets us bring that experience to a group of inspiring veterans.”
Purpose-built for seniors, the GrandPad features a user-friendly, intuitive interface with large, easy-to-read icons and a simplified layout, allowing seniors to make video calls, share photos, send emails, and enjoy entertainment effortlessly. With robust safety and security features, seniors can navigate the digital world without worries about scams or complex settings. And, thanks to 24/7 live customer support, seniors and their loved ones can connect confidently and comfortably.
Honoring the Greatest Generation
The first GrandPad tablets were hand-delivered to WWII veterans attending Delta’s 13th annual Veterans Celebration, a two-day event where employees, friends, and family come together to honor the commitment and courage of U.S. military veterans—including the 11% within Delta’s own workforce. Scott Lien, along with Virginie Durr and the Best Defense Foundation’s Donnie Edwards, also had the privilege of presenting GrandPads to WWII veterans in San Diego on Nov. 6 at the SoCal French-American Chamber of Commerce event honoring the heroes who returned to Normandy for the 80th Anniversary Celebration of D-Day.
"In the spirit of ‘No One Better Connects the World’ and serving these veterans all year long, ongoing communication with these veterans has become such an important part of our lives," said Virginie Durr, Enterprise Sales Manager at Delta. "Thanks to GrandPad, staying connected will be smoother and simpler than ever. We’re grateful for this partnership and what it means for our veterans and for Normandy."
With GrandPad, these WWII veterans will be able to easily reconnect to share memories and create new moments with family, friends, each other, and the people of Normandy—all through technology tailored to their needs. For these veterans, GrandPad isn’t just a device; it’s a bridge to the people and stories that mean the most.
“Our mission is to honor and support WWII veterans, and helping them stay connected to loved ones is a vital part of that,” said Donnie Edwards, Founder of the Best Defense Foundation. “With GrandPad, these heroes can keep in touch with family, friends, and fellow veterans, preserving the bonds and memories they’ve cherished throughout their lives.”
World War II veteran Andy Negra Jr, who turned 100 this year, has enjoyed using the GrandPad so much that he’s now sharing his insights with the company as a Grand Advisor, helping to enhance the experience for other seniors.
“GrandPad has truly changed my life after meeting so many new people onboard the flight and in Normandy,” he said. “At 100 years old, I didn’t know that such easy technology existed and that I would be able to video call them on my own. I hope my fellow veterans get to experience the joy of these connections too.
About GrandPad
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, GrandPad is a pioneering digital technology company dedicated to connecting seniors to their families, friends, and caregivers through safe, reliable, and easy-to-use devices. The GrandPad tablet is purpose-built for those aged 75+ and has touched the lives of more than 1.7 million older adults and their loved ones in over 130 countries. With thousands of 5-star reviews, we’re all about delighting every user every day.
About Delta
Through exceptional service and the power of innovation, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) never stops looking for ways to make every trip feel tailored to every customer. There are 100,000 Delta people leading the way to deliver a world-class customer experience on over 4,000 daily flights to more than 290 destinations on six continents, connecting people to places and to each other. We remain committed to ensuring that the future of travel is connected, personalized and enjoyable. Our people’s genuine and enduring motivation is to make every customer feel welcomed and cared for across every point of their journey with us.
More than 11% of Delta’s workforce is made up of veterans, many of whom continue to serve in the Guard or Reserves. Delta’s work to support active military members, veterans and their families dates back decades and includes travel benefits, key partnerships, community support and more.
Learn more about Delta and its longstanding support of veterans on Delta News Hub.
About Best Defense Foundation
Founded by Edwards as a 501c3 non-profit foundation, the Best Defense Foundation’s mission is to help veterans and their families. Its efforts are funded exclusively through sponsorships, private donations, fundraising events and Edwards’ own philanthropy and generosity. A cornerstone of the Foundation is a commitment to bring WWII veterans back to their battlefields to help them find closure and camaraderie with their brothers-in-arms and celebrate their acts of heroism and sacrifice all those years ago. Since 2018, the Foundation has provided ‘Battlefield Return’ programs to Iwo Jima, Belgium, the Eagle’s Nest, Guam, Tinian and Saipan, Normandy, and Germany. Learn more about Best Defense Foundation – www.bdf.org.