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Burlington, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Bringing resident insight and volunteer power into local government
Description: To equip recent immigrants with skills to become more civically active, this project held trainings on how to engage with government officials. The Vermont New American Advisory Council partnered with the Association of Africans Living in Vermont to host a town hall, which focused on how local and federal government works. Participants included newcomers to the U.S., including former refugees, who learned effective ways to contact lawmakers and ask for their assistance. The nonprofits recorded the virtual town hall -- as well as short testimonials from participants -- so they can publish videos online to reach a wider audience. Project organizers say the training expanded access to people who are otherwise left out of important conversations due to language and cultural barriers.
Salt Lake City, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: The Transit Together initiative invited residents at two low-income, older adult communities to use public transit to get to the grocery store. Over the course of three weeks, project organizers assisted groups of older adults -- including those with mobility issues -- as they navigated the Trax light rail system's routes and fare collection system. To help them run errands via transit, the County Aging and Adult Services office offered each participant a grocery caddy and a monthly senior transit pass. At the end of the program, 22 out of 32 participants reported they would use public transit in the future. In addition, several volunteer-resident pairs planned to continue making grocery trips together. Project organizers report that other service providers throughout Utah have since reached out to find out how they can implement similar educational programs in their communities.
Baltimore, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Lifelong housing and accessibility
Description: This project renovated an abandoned home. Organizers then gave the house away, mortgage free, to an older adult who has never owned a home before
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
North Hero, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: This project installed a word garden, which features words etched into rocks. The decorative rocks complement raised beds in an existing garden.
Champlain, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The Village of Champlain constructed a freestanding launch for kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards on the Great Chazy River, complete with a gangway to help visitors easily board their boats. A local firm designed and donated materials to add an accessible rail to the launch and the Village has explored setting up a rental system for visitors who do not own a kayak or other boat. Since installation, more individuals from the Village of Champlain and surrounding communities are able to enjoy the river.
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