Myrtle Beach, SC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Addressing community health

Description: Using public art, the City of Myrtle Beach set out to spread the word about safe walking and biking, as well as COVID-19 public health protocols. To do this, the City hosted a competition for local artists of all ages, inviting them to submit designs with a safety theme. They then selected 10 winning designs and added text with safety messages to them. With the state Department of Transportation's blessing, the designs became colorful, vinyl wraps for traffic utility boxes at intersections around town. Organizers say the project demonstrated the value of public art, with residents and business owners looking for ways to replicate the results in other neighborhoods.

Long Beach, CA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Addressing community health

Description: During Walk Long Beach's inaugural Ranchos Walk -- a 9.4-mile hike -- more than 400 walkers laced up their shoes and strode along the city's high ridge. Event organizers set up temporary wayfinding signs and made improvements to a crosswalk to make it more visible. Meant to raise awareness about the benefits of walking for fitness and recreation, the event introduced participants to streets and neighborhoods that many had never seen before. Stretching from Rancho Los Alamitos in the southeast to Rancho Los Cerritos in the north, the walk's route showcased Long Beach's agricultural history: The area's two original ranchos date to the 1800s. Organizers initially anticipated half as many walkers to participate, but residents of all ages flocked to the challenge. In 2021, Walk Long Beach repeated the event with the theme of women in Long Beach history.

Springfield, IL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Addressing community health

Description: A new online order system and optional curbside pickup at Springfield's Old Capitol Farmers Market reduced shoppers' risk of COVID-19 exposure. The improvements ensured that older adults and SNAP users could access fresh and healthy food from the popular market. Downtown Springfield Inc. replaced SNAP tokens with Healthy Ways scannable cards, which limit the need for physical contact at checkout. Following the change, the market saw an increase in SNAP transactions. In addition, more than 150 community members took advantage of the curbside option, which reduced in-person foot traffic and provided a safe shopping alternative to those most at risk.