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Community Foodworks (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Community Health and Economic Empowerment
└ Addressing community health
└ Addressing community health
Community Foodworks, a farmers market advocacy group, wanted to make the outdoor market experience more palatable and accessible for older adults. Farmers markets provide social connectedness for older adults, as well as an opportunity to access healthy, local food. CFW's markets also provide matching dollars and vouchers to locals receiving federal nutrition assistance, but recipients must wait in line for this assistance. Older adults often have trouble standing for long periods in line, especially in inclement weather. To increase market visitors' comfort, CFW created Rest Rehydration stations at three markets, which included shade tents, tables, seating, water and music.
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Howard County, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Many Howard County residents experience food insecurity. To provide non-perishable groceries to families in need, the Indian Cultural Association of Howard County set up five Little Free Pantries in the towns of Columbia, Ellicott City and Woodbine. Volunteers stock the pantries twice a week, and each operates on a give-and-take basis. In the first year after their installation, the pantries supplied more than 3,000 pounds of food to residents.
Southern Utah Navajo Reservation, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: To combat food insecurity on the Navajo Reservation, Adopt-A-Native-Elder provided food assistance and firewood vouchers to hundreds of Navajo elders. The cash assistance helped older adults access healthy, culturally appropriate food, as well as fuel for heating and cooking. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navajo Nation recorded the highest per-capita rates of infection and fatalities in the U.S. To help keep older adults safe, the organization also delivered medical supply boxes, which included personal protective equipment, such as face masks.
Fullerton, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: This project hosted twice-weekly training sessions on outdoor fitness equipment at four parks frequented by older adults.
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Washington, DC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Digital Connectivity Disaster Response
Description: Thrive DC addressed the loss of computer access for older adults experiencing homelessness after the local library closed. The organization launched a supervised lab with five computers and offered digital literacy sessions four days a week, helping participants learn email, internet navigation, and how to manage health care and benefits online. As needs grew, the lab became part of a broader day program that offered stability and a safe place to complete essential tasks. Many older adults gained confidence and independence. One participant used the lab to edit a photograph he had taken, proudly sharing the final image with others and reconnecting with his creative interests.
Washington, DC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Walk Audits
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