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Four Mounds Foundation HEART Partnership (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Many older adults in Dubuque faced hazards that made aging in place unsafe, while local youth lacked pathways to stable employment. The program tackled both issues by completing 21 home modifications, such as tub-to-shower conversions, grab bars and improved lighting for income-qualifying older adults. Students received paid, hands-on training and hosted a older adults' luncheon to build intergenerational connections. These upgrades improved safety and independence for older residents and gave youth valuable job skills. Positive feedback and new city funding will help sustain and expand this work, strengthening community ties.
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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Tucson, AZ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: The project addressed a critical shortage of safe, affordable assisted living for low-income older adults in Tucson. Volunteers made renovations to 19 units, adding new flooring, paint and bathroom fixtures to improve accessibility and comfort. These upgrades created a more sustainable living environment and lifted residents' spirits. One resident shared that she now can wake up in the morning with a smile on her face, underscoring the impact of these improvements on daily life.
Kenosha, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: Unsafe homes left many older adults vulnerable to falls and insecurity, with broken steps, missing handrails and doors that wouldn't lock. The program completed safety repairs for seven homes at no cost, installing indoor and outdoor handrails, adding grab bars and replacing kitchen fixtures. Volunteers handled all labor, strengthening community ties. These changes let homeowners remain independent and secure, delaying moves to assisted living. One participant said new doors finally let her lock up and feel safe after years of fear, showing how essential these repairs were for dignity and peace of mind.
Roseville, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: Older adult homeowners in Minnesota faced rising costs and physical limits that left homes unsafe and at risk of abandonment amid a statewide shortage of affordable housing. Hearts & Hammers restored 76 houses for low-income residents age 50-plus, adding repairs like painting, weatherproofing and accessibility upgrades with help from 64 volunteers. The work preserved naturally affordable homes and reduced displacement. "With the combination of costs and physical labor, we just couldn't get things done," said one couple, adding that when the project was complete, it looked absolutely perfect.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Cuba City, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: For more than ten years, Cuba City's planning documents promised an intergenerational gathering space downtown. This project made good on that promise, converting a gravel parking lot into a gathering space. Organizers hoped the Presidential Plaza Project would increase walkability and draw traffic to Cuba City's Main Street business district. To activate the space, volunteers installed a bike rack, outdoor games and picnic tables with umbrellas for shade. A Wi-Fi hotspot provides free internet access for visitors. To beautify the area, residents painted a large mural on the pavement, which pays tribute to frontline workers' contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. A later addition to the mural depicts the Mississippi river and includes an area for visitors to play hopscotch.
Epworth, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Tower Park lacked a dedicated space to honor veterans and connect residents, and steep terrain limited access for older adults. The Legion installed a six-foot granite monument, two flagpoles and landscaping. It was unveiled during a Memorial Day ceremony that drew many community members. The project improved accessibility with terraced seating and ADA-compliant paths and inspired plans for benches and a statue. The Mayor called the effort "a collaboration of many groups and a perfect example of serving and using our gifts to honor the memory of those who fought for us and our freedom."
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