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Surry, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: After a fatal crash on Route 172, Surry installed gateway signs to alert drivers they were entering a busy village where pedestrians share the road. Residents helped choose the design, and the signs now greet motorists with a "Thank You for Driving Safely" message. The effort prompted more speed-limit signs and enforcement, easing fears for older adults who walk along narrow shoulders. Post Office staff noted relief for patrons' safety. One homeowner said, "The new Gateway signs... are slowly renewing my confidence," showing how a simple change restored peace of mind.
Starkville, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Community-based organization Keep Starkville Beautiful updated a busy transportation corridor to calm traffic, increase safety and make the area more pleasant. The organization repaired a crumbling retaining wall and added built-in planters and pollinator patch gardens. A local artist created a colorful pavement pattern in the intersection of Whitfield and Scales Streets. Keep Starkville Beautiful also made improvements to a bus stop, installing a new ADA-compliant seating and waiting area and adding an arbor framed by planters to provide shade. Local residents provided much of the labor for the upgrades during community work days.
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: To call attention to rough conditions on Chicago's sidewalks and bike routes, the Recyclery Collective commissioned local artists to fill in potholes with mosaics. Project organizers engaged the community to select each installation site. Not only do the colorful mosaics beautify the neighborhood, they also make the pavement easier to navigate. Organizers hope the project brings people together and demonstrates the importance of navigable streets and sidewalks.
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Heber Springs, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: An aging electrical system threatened food safety and posed a fire hazard at the county's largest free meal site. Frequent breaker failures risked spoiling food for older adults who rely on hot meals three times a week. The kitchen replaced the outdated breaker box and 24 breakers, relocating the system away from a wet area to meet safety codes. This upgrade ensures stable power for cooking and cold storage, protecting food supplies and allowing the kitchen to continue serving thousands of meals safely for years to come.
Heber Springs, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: An aging HVAC system threatened the kitchen's ability to provide a safe, comfortable space for older adults who rely on free meals. The project installed a new 5-ton unit, ensuring reliable heating and cooling and positioning the dining room to serve as a warming and cooling center during extreme weather. This upgrade supports the largest free meal site in Cleburne County, which serves thousands annually. Plans to use the space as a winter refuge will offer critical relief for vulnerable older adults, helping them stay safe and connected during severe conditions.
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