Navassa, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Trails

Description: Brunswick County's older population needed safe outdoor spaces for exercise and social connection while preserving Gullah Geechee heritage. The project launched a demonstration trail with ADA-compliant features, benches, markers and cultural storyboards, unveiled during a ribbon-cutting event. The effort sparked regional collaboration and a feasibility study for a 14-mile corridor linking historic sites and greenways. One attendee said the celebration "brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face," reflecting its cultural and community significance.

Jackson, MS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Trails

Description: Extreme heat and limited amenities on Jackson's Museum Trail made outdoor exercise risky for older adults, especially in neighborhoods lacking recreational spaces. To address this, the foundation installed two shaded resting areas with benches, bike racks and trash receptacles. These were placed near a gateway sign and native garden, creating inviting spots for trail users. These additions encourage more frequent use and provide safe places to pause during long walks. "The new benches were much needed... now I can sit and watch people and wildlife," said one resident, underscoring the project's role in fostering independence and community connection.

Jackson, MS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Trails

Description: The City of Jackson is working to develop the Museum Trail -- a four-mile, multi-use path designed to improve community health and wellness, connect areas of interest within the community and promote active transportation. Building on this work, the Jackson Heart Foundation improved wayfinding along the corridor by installed railhead and mile markers. Organizers say the signage helps visitors understand where the trail begins and ends and provides them with information about ongoing work to improve the path. Volunteers also created a mural at the trail's entrance. And to promote the trail, project organizers launched a new website and offered branded tote bags for donors.