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Miami Beach, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities

Description: While Miami Beach is home to many LGBTQ families, the stories of older gay couples go largely untold. Miami Beach Gay Pride Inc. created the Legacy Couples Project to tell the love stories of 14 older, queer couples who were at the forefront of the fight for equity and fairness. Project organizers commissioned portrait-style photographs, hour-long audio stories, on-camera interviews and a curated selection of personal artifacts. The audio stories, which a team multi-generational LGBTQ interns produced, were featured at two local museums and are now permanently archived at HistoryMiami.

Springfield, TN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities

Description: Rural residents, including older adults, faced barriers to library access and social engagement, leaving many isolated. To address this, the district launched the "Reading Across Robertson" Book Bus, retrofitted with shelves, seating and Wi-Fi, and stocked with books for all ages. Since its launch, the bus has hosted 16 programs, welcomed 2,000 visitors and given away hundreds of books. Older adults now enjoy story times and technology help, while volunteers foster intergenerational connections. One volunteer said, "Seeing the kids' eyes light up when they find a book they love-it's priceless."

Brookhaven, GA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities

Description: Immigrant communities along Buford Highway face barriers like language isolation and limited access, leaving older adults disconnected from resources and cultural engagement. To address this, the project installed a painted newsstand as a permanent hub for multilingual newsletters and hosted an open-street event with story-sharing and health services. The event gathered 41 new stories and provided screenings, vaccines and essentials to hundreds of families. The initiative created a lasting platform for cultural storytelling and trust-building. A project organizer noted that the project inspired a mother and daughter to share touching stories and helped open an emotional conversation about their hopes for the future.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Pittsburgh, PA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement

Description: Residents wanted safer streets but lacked tools to advocate for change. Bike Pittsburgh addressed this by hosting five workshops that trained older adults and others to design and launch street safety campaigns. The project also installed a community-designed mural near a library to slow traffic and create a welcoming space. The mural now improves access for older adults and youth, and graduates are pursuing additional projects. One participant said the training "helped me prioritize and structure all my advocacy projects... more strategically and efficiently."

Pittsburgh, PA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management

Description: Pittsburgh's bikeshare lacked options for older adults and riders with disabilities, limiting access to cycling. To close that gap, Bike Share Pittsburgh launched Adaptive POGOH, introducing seven specialized bikes including tricycles, tandem and recumbent models. A secure storage hub was installed at a trailhead, staff were trained to customize bikes and promotional materials were provided to centers for older adults. A kickoff event drew more than 250 attendees. Early rentals and strong interest signaled demand, positioning the program for expansion and creating new opportunities for inclusive mobility and outdoor recreation.

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