Denver, CO

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Public space improvements to support recovery after extreme weather events

Description: Commun developed an emergency preparedness plan to close safety gaps for older adults and residents with mobility or health challenges in a large, hard-to-navigate building. The team engaged at least 25 participants, many age 50-plus, and trained community leaders to help carry out the plan. Focus groups surfaced practical needs, including tools to locate people with disabilities quickly during an emergency. A high-attendance session followed a movement class to encourage participation. A later medical incident showed earlier conversations improved response as an older staff member calmly coordinated help. Next steps include drills and continued resident leadership.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Denver, CO

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Reconnecting Communities

Description: Sun Valley has been cut off for decades by the Colfax-Federal cloverleaf, which displaced more than 240 families and left residents facing isolation and safety hazards. The Cloverleaf Oral History Project trained community historians to collect oral histories from older adults whose families were uprooted, preserving them in History Colorado's permanent collection. Stories were shared through two community events, a video and a blog post, sparking intergenerational dialogue. These narratives ensure older residents voices shape future transportation decisions.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.