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My Connect Community (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Many residents of Houston's Gulfton neighborhood live in apartment buildings, which lack outdoor space. Organizers with My Connect Community set out to give these residents a place to gather. They created a placemaking tool kit tailored to multifamily property owners. The kit includes portable carts adorned with laser-cut designs meant to represent Gulfton's diversity. Each cart also features a shade umbrella and a chalkboard. Additionally, the kits include outdoor rugs, bistro lighting and seating. Then My Connect Community hosted a series of pop-up events on side streets and in on-street parking spaces. The temporary activations gave Gulfton residents a chance to socialize with one another and allowed organizers to share information about community resources, such as public transit service and library programming. In the future, My Connect Community hopes to ensure community events are culturally informed and engage volunteers who speak residents' languages.
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Monroeville, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Organizers with Monroeville Main Street wanted to create a free, healthy educational activity for families. They created a story trail downtown, which leads from the town's historic square to the local library. They installed 24 panels along the trail, each containing pages from a story book. This allows families with children to read the book as they stroll. Organizers plan to swap out the story on display 18 times over the course of the year. Additionally, organizers installed water fountains and water bottle filling stations in three parks, as well as in Monroeville's downtown. To accommodate people of all abilities, each story trail panel and water fountain sits along ADA-compliant sidewalks. Organizers say the story trail will be a feature in the community's downtown events.
Ponce, PR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Ponce -- Puerto Rico's second largest city -- is recovering after two hurricanes and several earthquakes damaged its downtown, leaving many families homeless. As part of reconstruction efforts, City leaders are focusing on bolstering community arts and activating public spaces. To make the downtown core more inviting, the City improved a walkway that connects the Plaza del Mercado Isabel II with the local marketplace. To prepare the site, City staff made infrastructure upgrades and revamped landscaping. They then added tables and benches to the site, allowing visitors to gather to enjoy live music, play board games and exercise. The City also installed a platform where artisans can display their work.
Oakland, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Oakland's center for older adults sat in an uninviting area with few options for outdoor activity. To change that, the Chamber converted a vacant slab into the town's first pickleball court and added a pocket park with benches, shade and lockers for equipment. Volunteers helped install fencing and signage, and lighting is underway to improve safety. The court has become a hub for social connection and exercise, especially for older adults living nearby. As one resident said, "I had never heard of pickleball. I can't wait to learn how to play."
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience
Description: East African newcomers in Houston, many age 50-plus, face isolation and limited income despite deep farming knowledge. FAM Houston equipped 30 farmers with seeds, tools and supplies to sell crops at local markets, creating a Farmers Market Team and piloting biweekly sales. The effort boosted production by 50%, improved nutrition and gave participants a sense of belonging. Surveys show income gains and better health outcomes, and farmers shared cultural knowledge with customers. "When you share the ideas with people, it feels good... it makes me happy," said Emmaculata, reflecting on teaching market shoppers how to cook cassava leaves.
Richmond, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: Cracked asphalt trails at Four Corners Park limited safe walking and biking for older adults and stalled plans for a tricycle lending program. Fit Houston led two audits with county staff and participants age 50-plus, identifying hazards and advocating for improvements. The effort prompted Fort Bend County to allocate $600,000 for a new 12- to 14-foot concrete trail and spurred collaboration on mapping regional trail connections. Educational materials for trike safety were also developed, giving older adults a role in shaping safer, more accessible recreation spaces.
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