See More Projects Like This One

St. Petersburg, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: The Dream Center works with low-income families throughout Pinellas County, focusing on improving safety and livability for older adults in their homes. This project made home repairs and accessibility modifications to 25 houses, including widening doors and installing grab bars, chair lifts, wheelchair ramps, handrails and toilet seat lifts. Project organizers say these repairs shielded families from facing potentially expensive fines for code violations. The Dream Center also provided food assistance and hygiene items to older adults. Today the Center continues to provide home modification assistance through its Adopt A Block program.

Banner Elk, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: The project will work with local social service agencies to identify older adults whose homes are in need of repairs or aging-in-place modifications. Young volunteers who are being trained at home repair camps will perform the improvements.

Bethel, ME

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: The Town of Bethel's Age-Friendly Community Initiative created four displays featuring adaptive tools, as well as a catalog with descriptions of each tools and information about where to buy them. One display has been deployed at community outreach events attended by hundreds of residents. Two others are available for nearby communities to borrow for their own events. A local hardware store provided a home for the third display to make adaptive tools available to Bethel residents. In addition, project organizers engaged an occupational therapist to conduct home assessments to help residents determine their risk of falls. Grant funds also supported the local smoke alarm installation and fire escape plan program, conducted in partnership with local fire departments and the Maine Red Cross, as well as the National Fire Protection Association's Be Safe in Your Home initiative.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Chattanooga, TN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: To help combat social isolation, the City of Chattanooga's Department of Youth and Family Development provided older adults with Chromebooks, mouses and hotspots to allow them to connect to the internet. Additionally, the City offered digital skills classes at several locations to help them use the devices. Project organizers say the COVID-19 pandemic limited opportunities for social interaction for many residents. This project provided vulnerable residents with internet access and know-how, allowing them to build and maintain interpersonal relationships.

Chattanooga, TN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: The project will turn an unused space into a community garden with raised beds to accommodate older gardeners, as well as allow for monthly gardening events there.

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