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City of Hammond (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Morrison Alley's pocket park had become overgrown and nearly unusable, leaving older adults and visitors without a safe, welcoming space downtown. The city cleared the area, added five tables including an ADA-accessible option, installed dwarf azaleas and mulch to protect the park's Live Oak and placed waste receptacles to keep it clean. Within hours of installation, residents were gathering for lunch and conversation. "I love it!" one visitor said, reflecting broad enthusiasm for the transformation. The city plans further ADA upgrades, ensuring the park remains a vibrant hub for community connection.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Nashville, TN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To help older adults age in place in their community, Rebuilding Together Nashville made improvements to three community spaces in the Bordeaux neighborhood. The nonprofit gathered feedback from residents to choose which spaces to update. At FiftyForward Bordeaux -- a senior center -- volunteers installed a shade structure, allowing visitors to comfortably gather outdoors. They also added a shed onsite and updated the center's interior, including painting and installing shelving. The Infinity Center is an after-school center that hosts children's theater and community classes. There, volunteers replaced windows, sealed water leaks and repaired a dilapidated deck. Finally, they helped Brooklyn Heights Community Garden transition from a group of raised beds to a full-scale urban farm. Volunteers demolished and moved old garden beds and prepared the site for a new pack and wash station, greenhouse and production garden.
Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Many residents of Houston's Gulfton neighborhood live in apartment buildings, which lack outdoor space. Organizers with My Connect Community set out to give these residents a place to gather. They created a placemaking tool kit tailored to multifamily property owners. The kit includes portable carts adorned with laser-cut designs meant to represent Gulfton's diversity. Each cart also features a shade umbrella and a chalkboard. Additionally, the kits include outdoor rugs, bistro lighting and seating. Then My Connect Community hosted a series of pop-up events on side streets and in on-street parking spaces. The temporary activations gave Gulfton residents a chance to socialize with one another and allowed organizers to share information about community resources, such as public transit service and library programming. In the future, My Connect Community hopes to ensure community events are culturally informed and engage volunteers who speak residents' languages.
Youngstown, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Boulevard Park Block Watch Residents lacked a nearby public space to rest and connect, leaving older adults isolated in a dense neighborhood. The group transformed two vacant lots into a pocket park with benches, porch swings, picnic tables and plantings, plus a solar-lit flagpole and ADA-compliant features. The park now offers a secure, walkable space for socializing and exercise. "Neighbors with mobility issues were seen daily walking the 260-foot cement pathway," organizers noted, highlighting its role in fostering connection close to home.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Baton Rouge, LA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Improved wayfinding
Description: Scotlandville Parkway's 3-mile trail lacked clear signage and cultural identity, limiting its use for active transportation. BREC added wayfinding signs and installed public art honoring Southern University's role in the community. Volunteers helped paint connectors for the art walk, making the trail more inviting. The improvements encourage walking and biking in a neighborhood where 40% live below poverty and many lack cars. "I've lived here all my life and never knew this trail connected here!" said one resident.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Metarie, LA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Older adults struggling with smartphone use faced isolation and difficulty managing daily tasks. To bridge this gap, the YMCA created curricula for cellphone use and offered small classes with one-on-one support. Participants learned essentials like turning devices on, managing apps and creating photo albums. The program helped 29 older adults gain confidence and stay connected with family, friends and health care providers. One participant said, "Now I am not alone in the world," after learning to video chat with her children using her phone, highlighting the programs impact on reducing isolation.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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