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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center (2017) Print
2017 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Community Health and Economic Empowerment
└ Addressing community health
└ Addressing community health
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Newport wanted to encourage community members to eat locally grown fresh produce. In partnership with the Jamestown Community Garden, the Center wrote and published the first two chapters of a community cookbook. They then distributed copies of the book through the local food pantry. The first chapter offers tips on cooking with fall produce -- such as zucchini and squash -- and the second focuses on cooking for one. In addition, the center hosted a food expo, which gave residents access to info about local food resources. The community center intends to host similar events in the future.
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Providence, RI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Older adults in Providence often walked to food pantries, but heavy groceries and long outdoor waits made access difficult and undignified. The project distributed grocery carts to 175 guests and created an indoor waiting area with sturdy seating, easing transport of up to 30 pounds of food and providing comfort during high-volume visits. These changes removed a major barrier to food access, helped older adults remain independent. The pantries are now welcoming spaces that connect guests to additional health services.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Elkton, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Older adults and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Elkton face food insecurity and chronic health issues tied to poor nutrition. Bayside responded with "Growing Lunch," turning its greenhouse and kitchen into a garden-to-table program. Participants grew and harvested produce for daily meals, learned cooking skills and used new kitchen equipment to build independence. A refillable water station encouraged healthier habits. The project improved access to fresh food and created vocational training, laying the foundation for long-term health and employment opportunities.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Clifton, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Passaic County faced high food insecurity, leaving many older adults without reliable access to nutritious meals. To restore dignity and choice, The Food Brigade opened a client-choice pantry modeled like a grocery store, complete with aisles, carts, refrigeration and ADA-access ramps. Volunteers stocked shelves with culturally appropriate foods and healthier options. The pantry now empowers residents to shop for what they need and has inspired other pantries to adopt similar models. "It's such a great feeling to be able to take what you need as opposed to what you can afford," shared one client, reflecting its impact on well-being.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Indianapolis, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Transportation Other
Description: Four artist-designed traffic circles will be installed on residential streets to slow traffic and link key neighborhood destinations. Safer crossings and calmer streets will help older residents walk between housing, parks and community spaces.
Indianapolis, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Indianapolis has several dangerous intersections where 120 pedestrians have died or been injured over the past ten years. The Martin Luther King Multi-Service Center worked with local teenagers to paint the words 120 Is Enough on the pavement at these locations. Organizers say the message is meant to calm traffic and encourage drivers to be more mindful of pedestrians, cyclists and runners. Installation involved working with the city's Department of Public Works to negotiate local rules governing crosswalk designs. Since completing the crosswalks, project organizers say other local advocates have reach out for guidance to successfully create their own artistic crosswalks.
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