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Thayne Senior Center (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
└ Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Older adults in rural Wyoming often travel hundreds of miles for specialty medical care, with no public transportation and harsh weather making trips risky. The center launched a volunteer-driven program that completed 27 trips and covered more than 6,500 miles to nine facilities, enabling 29 critical appointments, including vision-saving procedures. The effort revealed a pressing need for permanent solutions. One rider said that this project provided her the only way she was able to get to Idaho Falls for medical care.
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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Thermopolis, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: This project will establish a transportation assistance program for individuals age 50-plus. It will provide financial aid for ride
Windham, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: Limited transportation left many Windham residents isolated and missing medical care, especially older adults and people with disabilities. Age-Friendly Windham expanded its volunteer driver program, funding ride coordination software, recruitment efforts and appreciation events. The program delivered over 200 rides for more than 60 residents and introduced tools like a volunteer handbook and driver safety kits. These efforts improved access to health care and community activities, reduced cancellations and built goodwill. One rider shared, "You make my impossible, possible. I give thanks every day."
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: Many older adults in suburban Chicago lacked affordable transportation, leaving them isolated and missing medical care. SafeLIGHT partnered with municipalities to provide free and discounted rides for essential trips, offering more than 2,000 rides and hosting outreach events to promote the program. Participants used the service for doctor visits, groceries and banking, restoring independence and reducing stress. "This program has been a godsend," said one social worker, noting its impact on residents with health issues.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Jackson, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: As part of efforts to activate a new green space in downtown Jackson, the Jackson Hole Land Trust commissioned local artists to design benches for the space. All three benches meet ADA accessibility standards, with designs that encourage visitors to sit, touch and climb. Project organizers installed the seating ahead of a grand opening celebration for the Greenspace on the Block, a conservation easement that features walking trails and provides an outdoor venue for community activities.
Jackson, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Residents of a Jackson housing complex -- including several dozen older adults and people with disabilities -- had an unappealing wait for the bus. The local bus stop was surrounded field of weeds and littered with trash and debris, including an abandoned car. To make matters worse, it had no place to sit. To give bus riders a more comfortable wait, the Jackson Hole Senior Center cleared weeds and trash from the site. They then leveled out the site and installed an artistic bench with a garden area behind it. During construction, neighbors volunteered their labor. Going forward, they also offered to help clear the site of snow in the winter and maintain the landscaping. After installation, the Town agreed to place a second bench at the bus stop across the street.
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