Alton, IL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: Extreme summer heat in Alton puts older adults at risk of illness, with many unable to afford cooling. Project Cooldown installed 30 window AC units and repaired two HVAC systems for residents. Outreach through flyers and partnerships connected volunteers and contractors to the effort. The initiative also uncovered broader housing repair needs and strengthened local networks for future projects. One recipient shared how very thankful she was, and had confidence that she would survive the summer because she could now stay cool.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Flagstaff, AZ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: Organizers with Red Feather recognized that Native elders have a strong cultural preference to age in place in their own homes. To help older adults from the Hopi and Navajo tribes, the nonprofit set out to make elders' home safer. Case managers made home visits to conduct aging in place assessments, create a plan to modify homes and educate homeowners about safety. The nonprofit also modified homes, installing a ramp, repairing a roof and providing new kitchen appliances. Organizers say the initiative helped address health disparities -- Native elders have a lower life expectancy and higher rates of disability and chronic health conditions than other populations. Organizers anticipate home modifications will reduce falls, keeping elders out of the hospital.

Farmville, VA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: 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.