Fountain Inn, SC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Walk Audits

Description: Walk audits along Main Street and nearby areas will assess pedestrian safety and accessibility. Community input will guide future improvements supported by city departments.

Houston, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Walk Audits

Description: Fit Houston addressed safety and access gaps that made walking difficult for older adults in several neighborhoods connected to a bayou trail corridor. Residents had limited opportunities to share firsthand concerns about sidewalks, crossings and routes they rely on to reach parks and everyday destinations. Through four walk audits, Fit Houston walked alongside residents, documented hazards and accessibility barriers and identified priority corridors frequently used by older adults. The effort also built local partnerships and equipped the team with the skills to conduct future audits. Findings from the audits elevated resident voices in county planning discussions and are shaping follow-up conversations with planners about funding and next steps. In some areas, the work prompted advocacy where residents described long-standing frustrations with local utility responsiveness, grounding future infrastructure plans in lived experience rather than assumptions.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Canton, SD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Walk Audits

Description: Canton faced unsafe walking conditions at downtown intersections where long crossings, poor yielding behavior and inconsistent sidewalks created challenges. The committee conducted a walk audit documenting blocked sightlines, winter access issues and uneven routes. Volunteers shared firsthand accounts of inaccessible crossings, reinforcing the importance of addressing pedestrian safety for all residents. The audit produced a prioritized list of high-risk locations and recommendations that now guide planning and grant efforts.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.