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Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity Inc. (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Low-income homeowners often face critical safety repairs they cannot afford, risking displacement and loss of equity. This project exceeded its goal by completing 40 home repairs for families. It was led by residents age 50-plus, making entryways safe and replacing outdated systems. The improvements allowed families to remain in their homes and preserve generational wealth. One homeowner saw her summer power bill drop from over $700 to less than $200 after an HVAC replacement, showing the impact on safety and affordability.
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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Cleveland, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: Older residents in Cleveland's Union-Miles neighborhood faced unsafe homes and mounting code violations they could not afford to fix. The program delivered free repairs, from electrical and plumbing fixes to stair and drywall work, plus safety upgrades like handrails and grab bars. Volunteers supported outreach and repairs, helping older adults remain safely in their homes. These improvements not only prevented costly violations but also preserved housing assets for future generations and strengthened neighborhood stability.
Coffeyville, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: By repairing neglected front porches, Coffeyville's Reawakening Neighborhood Initiative set out to demonstrate that small improvements can be a catalyst for community rejuvenation. The organization's Porchology project finished four East Side homes with safety railings, step handrails and new porch swings. They also replaced rotted wood and added decorative plants and birdhouses. Project organizers held a contest to select dwellings for upgrades, with each winner located in Coffeyville's older neighborhood. The Porchology project encourages community members to envision porches as outdoor extensions of homes. Following upgrades to the four selected homes, neighbors have fixed up their own porches, improving curb appeal. In the future, the organization plans to recognize homeowners who have invested in their porches and stage porch parties with music and entertainment.
Fort Collins, CO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: Residents of mobile home parks, many age 50-plus and on fixed incomes, face costly repairs and safety risks from issues like frozen pipes and poor air quality. The city hosted four hands-on workshops teaching plumbing basics and power tool use, distributed DIY toolkits and offered Spanish interpretation. Participants learned to clear clogs, replace toilet flappers and safely use tools, with microgrants available for repairs. Surveys show 89 residents gained confidence to tackle maintenance and even help neighbors. "Just having the knowledge, tools and support of neighbors... is giving participants the confidence to tackle home repairs they had been putting off," one organizer noted.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Charleston, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The American College of the Building Arts installed benches and a new pergola to create a multigenerational gathering space at the Community's Hope Impact Center, a local community center. The College saw the installation process as an opportunity for education, holding workshops on masonry where volunteers helped lay bricks for the space's walkway. With a goal of preserving, enriching and educating about architectural heritage, the organization trains artisans in traditional building crafts, such as carpentry and forging architectural iron. It was founded in the wake of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which damaged or destroyed much of coastal South Carolina's historic architecture.
Anderson, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: To expose locals to art and grow food for people in need, Anderson Arts Center beautified its campus by creating a new mural and community garden. The first mural in Anderson, it depicts a rabbit alongside a colorful fruit and vegetables. Since its completion, it has inspired other local organizations to create their own murals around town. Project organizers say within the garden's first year, the Center taught nearly 500 children about growing fresh vegetables. The Arts Center, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, hosts gallery exhibitions featuring regional, national and international artists, orchestrates downtown public arts projects and is home to a summer arts camp and arts school for children and adults.
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