Coffeyville, KS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: By repairing neglected front porches, Coffeyville's Reawakening Neighborhood Initiative set out to demonstrate that small improvements can be a catalyst for community rejuvenation. The organization's Porchology project finished four East Side homes with safety railings, step handrails and new porch swings. They also replaced rotted wood and added decorative plants and birdhouses. Project organizers held a contest to select dwellings for upgrades, with each winner located in Coffeyville's older neighborhood. The Porchology project encourages community members to envision porches as outdoor extensions of homes. Following upgrades to the four selected homes, neighbors have fixed up their own porches, improving curb appeal. In the future, the organization plans to recognize homeowners who have invested in their porches and stage porch parties with music and entertainment.

Fort Collins, CO

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: Residents of mobile home parks, many age 50-plus and on fixed incomes, face costly repairs and safety risks from issues like frozen pipes and poor air quality. The city hosted four hands-on workshops teaching plumbing basics and power tool use, distributed DIY toolkits and offered Spanish interpretation. Participants learned to clear clogs, replace toilet flappers and safely use tools, with microgrants available for repairs. Surveys show 89 residents gained confidence to tackle maintenance and even help neighbors. "Just having the knowledge, tools and support of neighbors... is giving participants the confidence to tackle home repairs they had been putting off," one organizer noted.

Cleveland, OH

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: Older residents in Cleveland's Union-Miles neighborhood faced unsafe homes and mounting code violations they could not afford to fix. The program delivered free repairs, from electrical and plumbing fixes to stair and drywall work, plus safety upgrades like handrails and grab bars. Volunteers supported outreach and repairs, helping older adults remain safely in their homes. These improvements not only prevented costly violations but also preserved housing assets for future generations and strengthened neighborhood stability.