Springfield, OH

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: As part of wider corridor improvement efforts, the 1159 Southwest Community Development Corporation activated three vacant lots, transforming them into a public gathering space dubbed Grand Harmony. Volunteers installed porch swings, picnic tables, benches and a new grill at the site. They also added LED lighting and a storage shed. Project organizers say Grand Harmony's success has opened doors for other revitalization efforts. In December 2020, a local foundation provided 1159 South Community Development Corporation with funding to activate a nearby vacant lot into an inspiration garden.

Washington, DC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Activities that address social isolation and facilitate community connections

Description: The 1882 Foundation hoped to strengthen community identity and increase civic engagement in DC's Chinatown, particularly among older adults. The Foundation designed a digital map featuring stories about places with historical and cultural significance to the neighborhood's longtime community members, including past and present residents and leaders. The Foundation distributed storytelling kits, which included tools to help participants tell their stories by writing and recording audio. Project organizers provided storytellers with bilingual instructions in English and Mandarin. To promote the initiative, the Foundation held a Mid-Autumn Festival event at the Wah Luck House, an affordable housing complex. Organizers say the digital platform will help inform urban planning policies by ensuring community priorities are included in redevelopment proposals for Chinatown.