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Oxford, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Oxford's historic downtown is home to restaurants, shops, art galleries, historic churches and a first-class performing arts center. Its brick-paved sidewalks are great for strolling, but the area lacked seating options. To address this, Historic Main Street Oxford installed metal benches, as well as two bike racks. This enables Main Street visitors to grab an ice cream cone with a friend and rest comfortably in the shade. The new amenities came during a downtown streetscaping project, which included installing accessible sidewalks, new lighting and improved landscaping.
Vallejo, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project will transform a neglected alleyway into a lively gathering space for residents of all ages. Volunteers will add temporary amenities to the space, which will support more permanent investment into Vallejo's downtown revitalization.
Chillicothe, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project will turn a vacant and blighted property into the Sixth Ward's first-ever park, providing access to outdoor space for all generations.
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Portland, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience
Description: Following COVID-19 shutdowns, Alberta Main Street wanted to encourage residents to visit small businesses in the Alberta District. To increase foot traffic in the neighborhood, they hosted a series of community events. Christmas, Halloween and other holiday-themed gatherings drew large crowds to the district. Additionally, they launched a monthly Last Thursday series, which showcased local artists' work and offered activities for families with children. Organizers worked to ensure each event celebrated the neighborhoods' diversity and culture, as well as its African American business owners. Alberta Main Street hopes future events help shield legacy businesses from displacement. In the future, they are also planning a grant program to help owners historically overlooked by traditional lenders.
Portland, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Inclusive transportation solutions
Description: This pilot program taught Chinese-speaking elders to use smartphones to access information about bus schedules, routes and fares. APANO held three hands-on workshops in the Jade District, one of the most diverse areas of Portland. The neighborhood is home to the city's busiest bus route, which serves a housing complex for older adults. APANO navigators worked with youth leaders fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese to teach participants to use the local transit agency's TriMet app, as well as Google Maps. Workshop organizers hoped to reach 50 participants but the first training alone welcomed more than 70 people. Organizers also led practice trips to locations important to workshop participants. APANO reports that building confidence in public transit helped stave off food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, as older adults were able to travel by bus to obtain culturally specific grocery staples.
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