Lake Placid, NY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities

Description: In the Adirondacks, vital stories risked fading from memory, leaving older adults isolated and younger generations disconnected. John Brown Lives! launched the Freedom Story Project, collecting dozens of narratives, mostly from people age 50-plus. The group installed a Story Shed at John Brown Farm for on-site recordings, created podcasts and launched a website to share stories widely. Educators are now using these narratives to foster civic dialogue and empathy. "The recognition that comes with the telling of one's story can be very validating and healing... the quiet power of these stories can provide a non-threatening opportunity to grow socially and emotionally," said the executive director.

York County, PA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities

Description: To better capture local history, the York County History Center launched its Share Your Story initiative. Organizers specifically hoped to include the voices of underrepresented community members, including BIPOC residents and people with disabilities. The Center constructed a mobile recording booth, which it set up in local schools and a senior center and at community events, including a Juneteenth celebration, a community theater performance and a local street fair. The listening booth's first outing allowed the History Center to record stories of lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers say the stories they collect will inform museum exhibits, as well as the Center's online offerings.

Boston, MA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities

Description: The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, which serves residents in Boston's low-income Roxbury and North Dorchester neighborhoods, created virtual spaces for intergenerational dialogue on community issues. To do this, the organization hosted a series of workshops, forums and support groups where residents could see one another and share their experiences. Because the area is home to many Cape Verdean and Latino families, DSNI provided interpretation services. They also provided technical support to those who needed it. One highlight was an in-person listening session held at one of Roxbury's last remaining vacant lots, where DSNI recorded residents talking about their needs and concerns. The organization has since added other virtual programming, including a monthly book club.