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Macon, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Older adults in Macon lacked a central space for civic engagement. To combat this, the historical society repurposed its Welcome Center into a community hub. The project added kitchen appliances and A/V equipment and hosted events like community town halls, workshops and holiday programs. Volunteers supported activities and outreach, helping attract hundreds of residents. As one board member shared, "AARP enabled the Society to broaden its perspective; welcome our entire community; and reach higher in its goals." The center now anchors inclusive gatherings and economic development efforts.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Richmond, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To increase residents' access to outdoor greenspace and bolster the local economy, Richmond Venture created the Brooklyn Park Boulevard parklet. Located in a primarily Black-owned business corridor, the mini-park sites in the footprint of an on-street parking space. Volunteers outfitted the space with seating and tables, giving visitors a place to relax and socialize. Organizers say the space encourages residents to purchase food and beverages from nearby restaurants, which they can eat onsite. To encourage people to visit, Venture Richmond also installed a bike rack nearby.
Middleburgh, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To make its parks and business district more accessible to a wide range of people, the Village of Middleburgh installed six benches and two multi-use tables. Village staff report those benches and tables proved useful during the COVID-19 pandemic when they provided older adults with a place for safe, outdoor activities. The project also attracted additional private and nonprofit donations for future improvements in Middleburgh and inspired plans for other accessibility projects, such as adding a wheelchair lift to the village hall.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Des Moines, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: The project will add benches, markings, bike racks and other amenities to Riverside Bridge Park. These improvements will make the park safer and more comfortable for resting, walking, biking and enjoying the river setting.
Des Moines, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: In the early to mid-1900s, the Waveland Trolley was an integral part of Des Moines' transportation system yet has long since been replaced by more modern options. The Des Moines Historical Society's Waveland Trolley Project set out to commemorate the city's rich history by transforming a long-neglected space into a walkable outdoor transit museum. The park-like setting is located on the former site of the trolley loop, where streetcars would turn around at the end of their route. The outdoor museum features benches, bike racks, panels displaying historical information and a life-sized sculpture of the Waveland Trolley.
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