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Richmond, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Volunteers will build and install shaded bench seating at selected bus stops in high-heat areas. The benches will offer safer, cooler waiting spaces for transit riders, especially older adults who use the city’s zero-fare bus system.
Springfield, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: A lack of benches represented a barrier to older adults using Springfield's public transit system. To make waiting for the bus a more comfortable experience, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority worked with the local parks and public works departments to install ten benches throughout the city. The Authority engaged residents to inform each bench's aesthetics and placement. They tailored the amenities based on each location's historical and design context. In Court Square -- a neighborhood dating to 1636 -- they installed Victorian-style benches. Elsewhere, they chose a more modern look. Organizers hope the new seating encourages people of all ages and abilities to use public transportation.
Payson, AZ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Door-to-door transportation will be provided for appointments, errands and daily needs. The service will support independence and reduce isolation.
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Brownsville, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: The City of Brownsville set out to transform its 14th Street Plaza into a vibrant place for residents and visitors to the city. The City commissioned local artists to create a mural in the seven archways along one of the site's walls. To select the muralists, the City held a competition. The winning design, The Three Graces, by local artists Alexandria Canchola, Monica Lugo and Samantha Rawls, explores the relationships between sisters, cities and countries. Additionally, the City set up portable tables and seats, hung tree light fixtures, constructed a shade canopy and added new fountains to the site. They were also able to replace broken bollards, replace electrical fixtures and install bike racks and trash cans. Project organizers say the plaza was not well-maintained before and they hope upkeep will be easier now. Going forward, city officials see the park as a tool for economic development, attracting visitors to visit nearby businesses and museums.
Brownsville, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Activities that address social isolation and facilitate community connections
Description: Brownsville lacked a community center dedicated to older adults, leaving them with little voice in city planning and their critical needs unmet. The organization surveyed more than 900 residents and hosted forums to spotlight gaps in services and infrastructure. These efforts prompted the city to create its first Senior Community Center and opened the door for a Senior Advisory Committee to guide age-friendly policies. By connecting older adults with local leaders, the project strengthened civic engagement and set the stage for lasting improvements in transportation, social programs and livable spaces. One organizer said that efforts have brought much needed attention to an undeserved community.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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