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ReFIT - Remodeling for Independence Together (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ HomeFit Modifications
└ HomeFit Modifications
Older adults in Portland faced fall risks and lacked access to affordable home safety solutions, especially those with language barriers. ReFIT responded by hosting six outreach events, sharing multilingual HomeFit Guides and safety items, and installing 22 grab bars plus other modifications like ramps and railings. These changes help residents age in place with confidence and dignity. "I feel so much safer now... I just didn't know who to ask about getting this done," said one client, reflecting the project's lasting impact on independence and peace of mind.
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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Washburn, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: Older adults in Washburn faced safety risks at home due to limited knowledge and resources for modifications. The library hosted an educational event that exceeded expectations, drawing 35 participants age 50-plus. Attendees received HomeFit bags with items like grab bars and motion-sensor lights and had access to an occupational therapist for personalized guidance. Participants reported feeling safer and more confident about aging in place, with one noting that the items provided were things much needed and that they "added an extra level of safety to my home!"
Spring Valley, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: In rural communities, older adults faced fall hazards at home but were reluctant to ask for help, making aging in place risky. The project trained volunteers to assess homes and install safety upgrades like grab bars and secured rugs. It also completed multiple improvements and created a stock of equipment for future use. It introduced HomeFit concepts and built trust, with new requests already coming in. One couple said the heavy-duty grab bars installed by volunteers and a local handyman has finally given them secure footing in their bathroom.
Sugar Land, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: This project will conduct five educational trainings on making homes safer and more comfortable for all ages, focusing on older adults and their families.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Portland, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Emergency preparedness skills
Description: Older adults in Portland's Lloyd neighborhood needed better emergency preparedness. The Lloyd Prepares Challenge engaged residents in five weeks of tasks like creating personal plans, gathering supplies and attending workshops. Sixty participants completed 130 tasks and received items such as first aid kits and go-bags. "It feels so good to know what to do if something bad happens," said a retirement community member after a Stop the Bleed class. The effort sparked new partnerships and will evolve into a Neighborhood Emergency Team.
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.
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