Hattiesburg, MS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: The local farmers market will add accessible parking, smoother paths, a bridge to nearby restrooms and a shaded cooling area at its new location. These changes will make it safer for older adults to shop for local food and stay comfortable.

Mount Airy, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Mount Airy Parks and Recreation installed decorative benches and bike racks, planted trees and improved signage along the Granite City Greenway to make the area more accessible and user-friendly for people of all ages. Already the most-used outdoor recreation facility in town, the visits to the Greenway increased more than 30 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic. Project organizers report that visitors use the benches and bike racks on a daily basis. They say exposure for this project helped secure local funding and made the greenway more visible tourists. Work is now underway to expand the Greenway by 1.3 miles.

Millville, NJ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project will install a 20-foot by 40-foot shade structure and raised garden beds at Riverview West, providing low-income older adults with a comfortable, accessible outdoor seating area.