AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Veggielution (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the local economy in San Jose's Washington neighborhood. To help meet the community's needs, Veggielution hosted free arts and environmental education programming. The local nonprofit, which aims to connect people through food and farming, invited people to the SoFa pocket park, which the organization created on the site of an underused parking lot. Events included a monthly garden art workshop and live musical and theater performances by local arts organizations. Additionally, Veggielution worked with a local arts school to create a mural for the pocket park. The activities helped link residents to resources, such as food assistance and entrepreneurship training, and connected local nonprofit organizations to each other, creating a better web of support for the community.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Closter, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: A barren alley in the downtown district left older adults without a safe, comfortable spot to rest while shopping or socializing. The borough converted the space into a pocket park with benches, plantings and solar lighting, creating a pleasant passageway between parking and local businesses. The park now hosts pop-up art events and serves as a meeting point for residents. "This charming pocket park provides respite for seniors and passersby to socialize, bringing the community together," said a local council member.
Friendship Park, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: After the City of Rochester cut its parks and recreation budget during the COVID-19 pandemic, many small parks in Rochester fell into disrepair. To address this, Family Service Rochester improved a pocket park in the City's Friendship Park neighborhood, a diverse, low-income area of the city. This project added new trees, benches and a multilingual information kiosk. A volunteer team dug holes, planted, watered and staked trees. Others chipped in to keep the park free of litter. Organizers say the project demonstrated that residents will invest their time to improve their neighborhood. After the project's completion, volunteers from the initiative were inspired to improve other parks in the area.
Forest City, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Older residents in Grahamtown lacked safe, comfortable outdoor spaces, making it hard to join events or enjoy gardens without worrying about fatigue or sun exposure. The team installed benches, picnic tables and planters at parks, gardens and community spaces. Volunteers also added address plates for safety. These changes gave older adults places to rest and socialize, strengthened community engagement and even prompted the addition of street lighting. Residents say the improvements make them feel valued and included in revitalization efforts.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Menlo Park, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: Many older adults in the Bay Area say transportation is the biggest challenge they face. Those who cannot drive themselves risk missing medical appointments or increasing their social isolation. To address this, Peninsula Volunteers developed a transportation program that offers low cost, on-demand rides for older adults. This project expanded that program to reach residents living throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. PVI provided hundreds of rides, helping residents attend doctors' appointments, do shopping and errands and participate in activities at local community centers. Additionally, the nonprofit held two workshops to teach older adults about transportation services available to them. "It makes me feel independent now. I go food shopping weekly now and that's helped immensely," one program participant said. "Sometimes I was going two whole days without eating anything because I didn't have any food in the house and I didn't want to beg for help from anyone."
Santa Cruz, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: This project will offer six free workshops to teach older adults how to make their homes safer. Volunteers will also promote a program which provides free grab bars and home safety modifications.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP California State Office
200 S. Los Robles Avenue
Suite 400
Pasadena, CA 91101
United States