Seymour, IN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: In a neighborhood where many older adults face food insecurity and health risks, pantry visitors often waited outside for hours without shelter, sometimes leading to medical emergencies. The project installed a permanent awning to provide protection and dignity, added a mural to brighten the space and foster pride and distributed Spanish-language outreach cards to connect residents with services. These changes made waiting safer and encouraged more people to seek help. "On really busy days, if it were raining, we wouldn't even attend... now we feel comfortable," said one couple.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Albuquerque, NM

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The weekly La Familia Growers Market in the Dolores Huerta Gateway Park provides South Valley residents with locally grown produce. To support the market's role as a culturally significant gathering space, project organizers purchased tables, chairs, a storage shed and cafe-style lights. They also procured materials to construct a horno -- a traditional outdoor oven made of adobe. Since then, the market has hosted free weekly musical performances and traditional cooking workshops, as well as the La Familia Growers Market Harvest Festival, attended by more than 500 people. In addition, project organizers conducted interviews with older community members - part of an oral history project.

Bondurant, IA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Bondurant aimed to make Lake Petocka more accessible for older adults, where steep slopes and limited seating had discouraged use. The Garden project added two ADA-compliant ramps, solar lighting, benches and native landscaping, plus a trash receptacle to improve safety and comfort. Older residents helped shape the design and joined beautification efforts, fostering intergenerational connection. These upgrades created a welcoming space that encourages walking and social interaction. One resident, recovering from knee surgery, said the new ramps let her reach the water for the first time in a year, underscoring the project's lasting impact and inspiring future improvements.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.