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Danforth Livable Communities (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Accessibility of amenities
└ Accessibility of amenities
Danforth removed a major barrier to opening its first center for older adults by adding an ADA-compliant walkway, a new entrance and a safe stairwell. The upgrades allowed the center to open three days a week with a resource coordinator helping residents access transportation, utilities and other essentials. The center now hosts meals, tech help and social events, reducing isolation in a rural area with high poverty and disability rates. One resident, once unable to attend gatherings, shared her joy after walking "right down the paved, handicapped walkway and into the smiling faces of friends and neighbors."
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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See More Projects Like This One
Jacksonville, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Visitors lacked safe seating in the cemetery's main lobby after an infinity pool was drained due to falls, leaving older adults and people with disabilities without a comfortable place to rest or check grave information. Volunteers transformed the space into a dignified seating area with teak benches, marble accents and flags representing military branches. They also added lighting and plaques for a welcoming design. The new area now offers a safe, attractive spot for veterans and families to gather and connect. The dedication drew strong community turnout and sparked interest from other cemeteries to replicate the design.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Saco, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Saco is a coastal community with seven miles of sandy beaches. Until recently, there was no beach access for people using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. That changed thanks to the purchase and installation of three ADA-compliant beach mats. The mats run from a parking lot to the high tide mark, as well as parallel to the beach. Grant funding from AARP also helped Saco attract a donation from the local Rotary Club to purchase a beach wheelchair and beach walker. Lifeguards manage and loan out the accessibility equipment.
Camp Verde, AZ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: After a resident complained to the mayor that she couldn't walk the 1.6-mile trail circling Camp Verde's new multi-use park and outdoor sports complex without a spot to rest, project organizers set out to add amenities to make the path more accessible. The Camp Verde Parks and Recreation Department added eight benches along the trail, placing each bench in areas popular with older adults. The local Old Guys volunteer group, which brings together retired residents with construction expertise to do community improvement projects, did the installation. As construction continues on the sports complex, project organizers say they will look for additional places to offer seating, ensuring the facilities can welcome people of all ages and abilities.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Danforth, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: In rural Danforth, older adults often skipped concerts and farmers markets because seating was scarce and accessibility poor, leaving many isolated or watching from cars. The project added convertible bench-to-table units and an outdoor sound system at the new downtown pavilion, creating flexible seating and clear audio for events. Volunteers installed the equipment, making gatherings more inclusive. Attendance has grown, and stories of widowed residents meeting for "date nights" and dancing show how these upgrades turned older adults into active participants, reducing isolation and sparking new friendships.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Danforth, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: This project will host four educational meetings in a tri-county rural region to show older adults and their families how to make homes safer, focusing on fall and injury prevention.
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