See More Projects Like This One

Newport, RI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management

Description: This project will support Cycling Without Age, a program that will provide older people and disabled veterans with trishaw rides, piloted by trained volunteers.

Powhatan County, VA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management

Description: The Powhatan County Department of Social Services hoped to give local older adults a unique way to get around town. The Department's Ride Assist Services purchased four easy-to-ride adult tricycles. To help allow residents to try them out, they also purchased a covered trailer. This allows them to transport the trikes to community events, including Powhatan's annual Earth Day celebration. Interested riders can borrow the trikes, after signing a waiver and donning a helmet. To further encourage people to explore town by foot or bike, the County also installed decorative benches downtown. In the future, the County hopes to launch a share or rental program to allow on-demand access to the tricycles.

Allen, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management

Description: To encourage older residents to become more active and use the local trail system, the City of Allen purchased six adult electric tricycles for the Allen Senior Recreation Center. Center members can check out the trikes to use when weather permits. The tricycles provide supplementary electric power to assist with peddling when needed, enabling users with varying mobility levels to ride them. To get the lending program started, City built a storage facility for the tricycles and offered a skills class for riders. Additionally, they provided helmets, orange safety flags and bike locks. Although motorized vehicles typically aren't typically allowed on Allen's nearby Cottonwood Creek Hike/Bike trail, the City has made an exception for the trikes.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Washington, DC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Capturing data and feedback from residents

Description: The 1882 Foundation hoped to strengthen community identity and increase civic engagement in DC's Chinatown, particularly among older adults. The Foundation designed a digital map featuring stories about places with historical and cultural significance to the neighborhood's longtime community members, including past and present residents and leaders. The Foundation distributed storytelling kits, which included tools to help participants tell their stories by writing and recording audio. Project organizers provided storytellers with bilingual instructions in English and Mandarin. To promote the initiative, the Foundation held a Mid-Autumn Festival event at the Wah Luck House, an affordable housing complex. Organizers say the digital platform will help inform urban planning policies by ensuring community priorities are included in redevelopment proposals for Chinatown.

Washington, DC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety

Description: To increase older adults' mobility, the Capitol Hill Village worked to raise residents' awareness of the local transportation offerings. The nonprofit offered social events and educational programming to teach more than 100 residents how to get around without driving. The trainings covered pedestrian safety and provided older adults with in-depth information on transportation services, including the Metrorail system, Capital Bikeshare and local paratransit service. Project organizers say participants increased their knowledge of and confidence using local transportation options.

LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED

Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages

people icon

Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities

download icon

Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter

mail icon

Don't see your community listed?

LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORK

Connect with your AARP State Office

AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

AARP Indiana State Office

One N. Capitol Avenue
Suite 1275
Indianapolis, IN 46204
United States

Phone: 866-448-3618
Fax: 317-423-2211
Email: [email protected]