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For The Kingdom Inc. (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Community Health and Economic Empowerment
└ Addressing community health
└ Addressing community health
In Memphis's Raleigh neighborhood, where grocery stores are scarce and isolation is common among older adults, For The Kingdom created the "Exodus Marketplace" to restore access to healthy food and connection. The initiative offered free dinners to 250 people weekly, hosted fitness and cooking classes, and opened a micro grocery store with fresh produce. Volunteers helped spread the word and serve meals, creating a steady rhythm of activity and care. One participant said, "Being able to come shop has provided a sense of dignity." The project turned a food desert into a place of community, health and hope for local residents.
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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Southern Utah Navajo Reservation, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: To combat food insecurity on the Navajo Reservation, Adopt-A-Native-Elder provided food assistance and firewood vouchers to hundreds of Navajo elders. The cash assistance helped older adults access healthy, culturally appropriate food, as well as fuel for heating and cooking. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navajo Nation recorded the highest per-capita rates of infection and fatalities in the U.S. To help keep older adults safe, the organization also delivered medical supply boxes, which included personal protective equipment, such as face masks.
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Organizers wanted to ensure the Red Cloud Indian School's weekly farmers market was welcoming to elders. The Pine Ridge Reservation is a food desert, but the market offers residents access to fresh produce, as well as ingredients for traditional foods, teas and medicines. To attract older adults to the market, they launched Elder Hours, which feature traditional cooking demonstrations and other educational offerings. They also added wayfinding signage to help elders navigate to parking spaces and seating near vendors, which market organizers specifically set aside for older adults. To help people transport their purchases, Red Cloud purchased branded tote bags, which they distribute to elders who visit the market. Project organizers hope the outreach efforts help decrease longstanding health disparities among tribal members.
Fairbanks, AK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Older adults who once grew large gardens for a local food program could no longer manage the work, reducing fresh produce for patients in the Food Is Medicine initiative. The Plant a Pot project supplied pots, soil and plants to 115 people, with volunteers helping them grow vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. Harvests supported the program and revived a sense of purpose for participants. Local service clubs also gained new energy and became more sustainable, with one member saying that the effort improved connections and generated stories of success.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Memphis, TN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Disaster Preparedness
Description: Many older adults in the Hollywood community lacked clear guidance on how to prepare for disasters, leaving households without plans and uncertainty about insurance coverage. Center for Transforming Communities addressed this gap through two preparedness sessions that walked residents through local risks, insurance basics and practical planning steps. Participants created household disaster plans and discussed the supplies they would need to respond more effectively. One resident said, "I liked the way you broke it down. I understood what you were talking about. It helped me go home and make these changes." Another participant contacted her insurance provider after learning about common coverage gaps. Follow-up check-ins are planned to help residents keep plans current, reinforcing preparedness over time.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Memphis, TN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: Older adults faced heightened safety risks at home, especially related to fire prevention and emergency preparedness. Many residents lacked clear plans, equipment and practical guidance on how to shelter in place during emergencies. The Center addressed this gap by hosting a community safety and preparedness event designed specifically for residents age 50 and over. Participants received hands on education about fire risks, exit planning and the safe use of alternative heat sources, along with fire extinguishers and safety materials to use at home. The event emphasized practical steps older adults could take immediately to reduce risk. One participant, who had experienced a house fire earlier in the year, shared how panic and injury underscored the importance of knowing exits and planning ahead, noting that receiving a fire extinguisher changed how she prepares for emergencies.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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