Charleston, SC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The American College of the Building Arts installed benches and a new pergola to create a multigenerational gathering space at the Community's Hope Impact Center, a local community center. The College saw the installation process as an opportunity for education, holding workshops on masonry where volunteers helped lay bricks for the space's walkway. With a goal of preserving, enriching and educating about architectural heritage, the organization trains artisans in traditional building crafts, such as carpentry and forging architectural iron. It was founded in the wake of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which damaged or destroyed much of coastal South Carolina's historic architecture.

Kaneohe, HI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The Rotary Club engaged contractors and volunteers to clean up a 35,000-square-foot gravel lot on Aloha Drive that had become an eyesore. Volunteers worked with landscape architects to plant hundreds of shrubs and thousands of smaller plants throughout the lot, creating a pocket park. Leveraging a range of funding resources, organizers transformed the space into a community oasis they have dubbed Centennial Park.

Fairfield, WA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: A split-level design left the church basement and kitchen off-limits to older adults and people with mobility challenges, limiting access to meals and classes. The church upgraded electrical systems, lighting and appliances, then hosted a Fiesta Gratitude Dinner for 89 residents, most age 50-plus. Volunteers led planning and preparation, sparking renewed engagement among older members. These improvements set the stage for more inclusive meals and cooking classes, reducing isolation and sharing skills like food preservation to strengthen community ties.