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Lawrenceville United (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Civic Engagement
└ Developing projects based on residents' priorities
└ Developing projects based on residents' priorities
As Lawrenceville rapidly changed, the stories of older residents who built the neighborhood risked being lost. The project honored six women with a mural on a prominent facade and hosted a block party to unveil it. Volunteers collected 29 oral histories and published a zine celebrating nominees, creating intergenerational connections. "This event... was the celebration of her life that she would have wanted," said one daughter about the tribute giving her closure after losing her mother. The effort preserved community history and renewed engagement in age-friendly programs.
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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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."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Philadelphia, PA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities
Description: For decades, the Vine Street Expressway has split Chinatown, forcing older adults to cross seven lanes of traffic to reach groceries and services. To ensure their voices shaped plans for a proposed highway cap, PCDC hosted five bilingual engagement events for older adults at food distribution sites and the 10th Street Plaza. The effort produced 760 survey responses, including 235 from those age 50-plus, highlighting priorities like safety and cultural inclusion. As one staff member said after helping a hesitant resident complete a survey, "Her voice does matter... her opinion is very much valued." The feedback will guide design for a cap that reconnects the neighborhood and creates accessible public space.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Pittsburgh, PA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management
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Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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