Stratford, CT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Trails

Description: Stratford Walks addressed high rates of chronic illness among older adults and limited safe walking options. The town redesigned maps, printed 500 booklets and installed benches to make routes more inviting. A kickoff event and volunteer-led outreach doubled weekly walking club attendance and engaged residents who had been inactive. The program sparked new initiatives like branded signage and integration into a future trails master plan. One caregiver shared that he now realizes how much his patient could enjoy participation in club activities, a reminder of how movement and connection transform daily life.

Navassa, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Trails

Description: Brunswick County's older population needed safe outdoor spaces for exercise and social connection while preserving Gullah Geechee heritage. The project launched a demonstration trail with ADA-compliant features, benches, markers and cultural storyboards, unveiled during a ribbon-cutting event. The effort sparked regional collaboration and a feasibility study for a 14-mile corridor linking historic sites and greenways. One attendee said the celebration "brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face," reflecting its cultural and community significance.

Tampa, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Trails

Description: This project will fill a 750-foot sidewalk gap on East 12th Avenue, improving pedestrian safety and accessibility. This will enhance walkability for residents, especially those age 50 and over, and connect them to key destinations.