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Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Community Resilience
└ Digital Connectivity for Disasters
└ Digital Connectivity for Disasters
Flooding and environmental burdens in Providence's Olneyville neighborhood left Spanish-speaking residents, including older adults, vulnerable and disconnected from critical resources. The council launched VECINA, a bilingual platform mapping hazards, health resources and resilience assets. It also trained two cohorts of digital champions-more than half age 50-plus-to lead outreach and site testing. Engagement deepened through air quality workshops and DIY filter-building, while partnerships with Brown University and URI expanded data literacy and access. Today, VECINA helps families navigate services and share stories, breaking language barriers and strengthening community ties. "VECINA is more than just information; it's empowerment," said a project lead.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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North Augusta, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital Connectivity for Disasters
Description: Older adults in North Augusta faced barriers to reliable internet, limiting telehealth access and emergency communication. To close this gap, the city installed satellite internet at municipal rally centers, creating hubs for connectivity and disaster response. During Hurricane Helene, the centers provided charging stations, food and water distribution and real-time updates, helping residents stay informed and connected. One older resident called the service a lifeline, using it to contact family and receive telehealth consultations during weeks of recovery, underscoring its role in safety and resilience.
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Providence, RI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Older adults in Providence often walked to food pantries, but heavy groceries and long outdoor waits made access difficult and undignified. The project distributed grocery carts to 175 guests and created an indoor waiting area with sturdy seating, easing transport of up to 30 pounds of food and providing comfort during high-volume visits. These changes removed a major barrier to food access, helped older adults remain independent. The pantries are now welcoming spaces that connect guests to additional health services.
Providence, RI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Hope Street's design favored cars, limiting safe mobility for people without vehicles. PSC and their partners built a temporary urban trail, converting a parking lane into a two-way path for bikes and scooters and added a bus island. Over 2,000 residents tried the trail and 1,000 shared feedback, with most supporting permanent changes. Comments praised the safer, more vibrant street: "Hope Street feels like a recreation destination... I would come here just to stroll and hang out with friends."
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