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Cairo, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: In rural southern Illinois, older adults faced unsafe walking conditions with missing sidewalks and overgrown paths, forcing them into streets to reach parks and stores. CHESI organized walk audits across three towns, engaging 37 residents, including many age 50-plus, to review 100 blocks and document hazards. Participants met with local leaders to push for improvements and raised awareness of pedestrian safety. The effort sparked advocacy campaigns and scheduled meetings with mayors. This laid the groundwork for safer sidewalks and crosswalks and inspired future livable community projects.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Berkley, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Downtown Berkley's main corridor lacked safe, walkable routes for older adults, even near age-restricted housing, limiting social connection and daily well-being. To address this, the agency led walk audits along Coolidge during a popular Halloween event, engaging residents and collecting feedback on sidewalks and crossings. Surveys highlighted ideas for streetscape upgrades during planned road reconstruction. The audits advanced dialogue on walkability and influenced city planning. One older adult shared, "When the weather is good and I get to walk through downtown my day instantly gets better. There are a lot of friends I get to see in different shops and on the street."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Big Rapids, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Volunteer bike audits will study intersections and routes commonly used by cyclists in the city. Results will guide recommendations that improve bike access to services.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Biwabik, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Walkways in a city park will be improved with benches, smooth paths and clearer signs to address uneven terrain. These changes will make outdoor use safer and encourage gathering during all seasons.
Hibbing, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: The Hibbings Farmers' Market, a local market that participates in federal food assistance programs, is expanding its Power of Produce program, which provides discount tokens to older adults. To enable this, the market added a covered porch and chairs to its facilities, providing a shaded area for participants to meet local producers, attend events and socialize with other community members. Organizers ensured the seating area had non-slip, even flooring to accommodate marketgoers of all ages and abilities. Since completing the porch, more accessibility upgrades are in the works.
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