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City of Charleston (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
This project upgraded Charleston's East End Dog Park to make it usable for pet owners of all ages. The City planted trees, installed shade structures and added seating. They also made repairs to the park's water source and planted grass. In addition, City workers fenced off a section of the dog park specifically for smaller dogs, keeping them separate from larger breeds that can intimidate them.
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Northumberland, NY
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Project Category: Park enhancements
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Yankton, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: To invite young children and their caregivers to explore Westside Park, the City of Yankton Department of Parks and Recreation created its Born Learning Trail. The City installed a concrete trail in the park and installed signs in English and Spanish along the path. Each sign features activities meant to build language and thinking skills fundamental to child development. To give families a place to rest, project organizers installed picnic tables and benches. The City also commissioned seven local artists to decorate the trail's pavement with artwork related to the activities.
Holy Cross, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: This project will renovate the tennis court and add two pickleball courts with ADA access and portable benches. This will improve health and provide diverse recreational amenities for residents, especially those age 50 and over.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Charleston, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: This project assisted low-income older adults with home repairs and maintenance, allowing them to safely age in place in their homes. Faith in Action's Honey Do Crews preformed a variety of tasks for older adults in Kanawha and Putnam Counties, from changing lightbulbs to repainting porches. In total, grant funds supported 16 projects. One participant was living in a home with a flimsy, glass patio door installed where a proper front door should have been. To lock the door, she would insert a broom handle across the doorway. Faith in Action purchased a new door with a deadbolt and a volunteer installed it. "I feel like I've been released from prison," the homeowner said. "I love my new door."
South Charleston, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital Connectivity for Disasters
Description: Frequent disasters left older adults in West Virginia without reliable power or digital skills to access emergency resources. Heart+Hand equipped more than 300 residents with 72-hour emergency buckets and solar chargers to keep phones and medical devices powered during outages. Over 200 older adults learned to use tablets to find critical relief information, and tablets purchased for classes will sustain training long term. These efforts reduced anxiety, improved resilience and fostered community support through volunteer engagement.
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