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Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity (2017) Print
2017 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
The Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity purchased a trailer and equipped it with tools, which the organization uses to make safety improvements to homes. Often owned by local families for generations, many of the homes need significant repairs. Project organizers report the trailer -- which is branded with Habitat's logo and contact info -- helps raise awareness of the home repair program. They also say other local Habitat branches have expressed interest in their own mobile repair trailers. Since the trailer purchase, the repair initiative has grown, with Habitat seeing more applications. It has since expanded its services to neighboring counties.
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Belleville, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Trails
Description: This project installed a new walking trail to connect two streets previously divided by an oddly placed fence. Along the path, the town planted one garden honoring COVID-19 victims and another containing produce the public is welcome to pick.
Muncie, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public spaces improvements to increase high-speed internet availability
Description: Sustainable Muncie Corporation installed internet access points at Madjax, the organization's warehouse, which is home to collaborative workspaces, a design and tinkering lab and a makerspace. Previously, public internet access in Muncie was limited to local libraries and coffeeshops. Now residents of the East Central neighborhood can either sit inside Madjax or access Wi-Fi from outside the facility. Project organizers hope their new outdoor internet access points help bridge the digital divide in the community. In addition, the organization is establishing an ambassador program to provide older adults with peer-to-peer technology support. They say the new internet connection has also helped Sustainable Muncie's Retirees Entrepreneurial Club get off the ground.
El Paso, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public place improvements to withstand extreme weather events
Description: As part of its Million Trees El Paso initiative, Eco El Paso planted 88 native and drought-tolerant trees along the Paso Del Norte Trail. In addition, the organization improved wayfinding along the trail, which passes through the city's Thomas Many neighborhood. The City lent a hand in the effort, removing dead trees and making needed irrigation repairs. El Paso has less tree canopy cover than many other communities, with an average of fewer than three trees per acre. Project organizers hope the new trees help cool the neighborhood and combat the urban heat island effect, making walking more comfortable for residents. The City later cited the success of the project in its efforts to secure bond funding for future tree planting efforts.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Powhatan County, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Lifelong housing and accessibility
Description: The site of Powhatan's historic Pocahontas School sat unused for many years. Organizers with Habitat for Humanity saw the campus as an opportunity to provide needed affordable housing for local older adults. To envision possibilities for the space, Habitat hosted four community design. At the workshops community members worked with a local architectural firm to draw up plans to transform two school structures into apartment buildings offering one- and two-bedroom units. Once completed, the development will offer 21 new affordable housing units in total. Organizers say the charrette also helped attract 2.2 million in financing for the project. Going forward, Habitat plans to continue to explore ways to fill the area's growing need for affordable housing.
Powhatan County, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management
Description: The Powhatan County Department of Social Services hoped to give local older adults a unique way to get around town. The Department's Ride Assist Services purchased four easy-to-ride adult tricycles. To help allow residents to try them out, they also purchased a covered trailer. This allows them to transport the trikes to community events, including Powhatan's annual Earth Day celebration. Interested riders can borrow the trikes, after signing a waiver and donning a helmet. To further encourage people to explore town by foot or bike, the County also installed decorative benches downtown. In the future, the County hopes to launch a share or rental program to allow on-demand access to the tricycles.
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