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Honolulu, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: While Hawaii is known for beaches and lush mountains, many urban areas lack accessible green space. To give residents outdoor space, Better Block Hawaii planned, designed and installed two parklets in Honolulu's Kalihi neighborhood. Working with the City of Honolulu to identify areas of need, they installed the first parklet at Richie's Drive Inn, transforming a parking area into a mini park with tables, benches, planters and a mural. Parklets help local businesses extend their storefronts onto the sidewalk and boost revenue by creating cozy, inviting gathering places.
Bowman, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project transformed a vacant lot on Bowman's Main Street into a community garden and pocket park. The Bowman County Development Corporation activated the space by adding accessible seating, an outdoor dining area, flowerpots and a shade structure. Residents of the small town were encouraged to get involved by laying pavers and planting grass, while a sign at the garden's entrance invites visitors to pull a weed or two and enjoy the fresh produce. Since the improvements, other local organizations have added to the garden, installing bike racks and a self-watering plot showcasing native plants.
Clearmont, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Uneven ground and muddy conditions around the historical center made it difficult for visitors with mobility challenges to reach the building, limiting participation by older adults and wheelchair users. Clearmont Historical Group addressed these barriers by building a new deck and installing a concrete sidewalk that provides a safer, more reliable route between the center and a nearby park. Improved lighting and seating expanded how the space could be used, including for gatherings and evening programs. Volunteers, many age 50 or over, helped complete the work, reinforcing local ownership of the site. Since the improvements, attendance has increased and more residents with varying mobility needs are able to take part in open houses and programs, strengthening the center role as an accessible place to gather and share local history.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
San Diego, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Many residents who live near San Diego's Park de la Cruz rent apartments, which limits their access to outdoor gathering spaces and gardening opportunities. To address this, organizers created a community garden on an overgrown parcel of land in the park. Many residents in Volunteers installed raised garden beds, designed to be accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Additionally, they added seating, a worktable, shade umbrellas and a gazebo to the space. To beautify the garden, and artist painted a mural onsite. The nonprofit also hosted a community planting day, where volunteers planted fruit trees and pollinator-friendly plans and filled the garden beds with vegetables. Since creating the garden, volunteers continue to care for the space. The garden provides produce for local families, as well as ingredients for a weekly cooking program for older adults.
San Diego, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: Fairmount Avenue is a busy corridor lined with housing for older adults and other essential services, where people using mobility devices face daily safety risks. Bike San Diego responded by leading bike and walk audits with residents who live and travel the route, capturing firsthand details about crossing times, curb access and confusing signage. Findings were translated into specific recommendations and shared with teams updating long-range city plans. One participant said that he has noticed people with manual wheelchairs often struggled to get to the other side in time. By grounding planning discussions in lived experience, the project increased the chance that future street changes better reflect how older adults actually move through the corridor.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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