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Dixon, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Webster County Senior Center has delivered meals to homebound older adults for years. But the center has never fully used its large outdoor greenspace and patio. To make the space more appealing, the center created an outdoor seating area with benches, tables and games, which allow visitors to dine outdoors and make social connections. Today, residents use the space for bingo and board games between meals, and the patio hosts community events.
Blue Hill, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The project will add equipment to support outdoor setup for a volunteer-led community cafe. Improved access will make hosting gatherings easier and help sustain social connections across seasons.
Moulton, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To revitalize Moulton's downtown area, Moulton Lions Club created parklets, a mural and temporary, artistic crosswalks. The mural is located along Bylar Road -- the area's oldest public road -- and showcases the route's history. To Project organizers also outfitted several parklets with movable benches, chairs and umbrellas to increase foot traffic and provide rest and shade during events, including the annual Strawberry Festival. In addition, the Lions Club created artistic crosswalks with sidewalk chalk. Each had a local theme, from educating locals about endangered salamanders to paying homage to local resident Jesse Owen, who competed at the 1936 Olympics. Lions Club organizers says they hope the project will spur residents to consider how art can make public spaces more appealing.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Taos, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Taos' veterans and older adults lacked accessible green space and safe walking areas, a gap worsened by poverty and rising living costs. The project purchased ADA-compliant tables and benches, materials for a walking trail, and hired an architect. This led to the design of a multi-use space featuring a Veterans Memorial and fire pit for flag-retirement ceremonies. The space will host veteran-centered events and family gatherings, drawing hundreds of older adults annually. Volunteers praised the effort for fostering intergenerational learning and respect between veterans and younger community members.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
El Rito, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The El Rito Library has long been a gathering place for residents of rural Rio Arriba County -- an area of New Mexico that lacks public spaces for people to socialize. To make its campus more inviting, the library added benches, bike repair stations, tables and chairs and native landscaping to its outdoor space. Organizers hope the improvements allow visitors to deepen social connections with one another. In the future, the library plans to add to the upgrades by constructing a stage for performances and exploring the possibility of installing solar panels.
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