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Y Innovations Inc. (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
1225 D Street was an abandoned lot overrun with weeds, errant trees and debris. Y Innovations planned to create a green space and community garden there, but first the area had to be cleared. Organizers began by removing garbage that had been dumped in the spot, as well as dead tree limbs, many feet of dilapidated fencing and three vacant sheds. The organization then added new fencing, making the space ready for the next phase of the project.
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Clarkesville, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Clarkesville lacked interactive outdoor spaces that encouraged movement and family bonding, especially for older adults. Pebble Ministry addressed this by creating a StoryWalk near the visitors center, installing posts and display cases for rotating books and adding signage with QR codes for feedback. The trail now draws readers of all ages, promoting exercise and social connection. Older adults report enjoying walks with friends and pets, and one visitor wrote, "A group of us...were out for a walk and were so pleased to see this."
Potlatch, ID
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: In 1906, the Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway built the Potlatch Depot, which served as a warehouse to store excess freight and baggage. The Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway History Preservation Group hoped to offer visitors rides on speeders and rail cycles -- small vehicles that travel along the tracks, which railroad employees once used to inspect tracks and reach trains needing repairs. To do this, the group needed to expand into the depot's annex. They worked to renovate the building, stabilizing its foundation, replacing siding and removing interior walls and floor lumber. Project organizers hope the speeder rides will attract the public to the depot's museum and increase a sense of community pride.
Sheridan, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Several years ago, the Powder River Basin Resource Council created a food forest -- a space that gives the community access to fresh produce, including fruit, berries and vegetables. However, the space lacked accessibility features, making it difficult for older adults and people with mobility challenges to visit. To make the food forest more inviting, the council asked a local craftsman to design benches, which give people a place to pause and relax as they walk through the gardens. They also installed solar lighting, which allows visitors to use the forest after dark. Plans to expand the food forest are now underway. The council is working with an elder from the Northern Cheyenne community to create a Native food garden onsite.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Wilmington, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital Connectivity for Disasters
Description: After Hurricane Ida exposed gaps in disaster readiness, older adults in Wilmington lacked training and tools to stay safe during floods and outages. The organization hosted emergency preparedness workshops and equipped a mobile disaster unit with solar-powered satellite internet and charging stations. This has ensured that residents can access critical information when power fails. These resources and skills reduce anxiety and improve resilience, while new partnerships sparked plans to replicate services statewide support for vulnerable communities facing future emergencies.
Claymont, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: To allow people of all ages and abilities to walk for exercise, the Claymont Community Center added an outdoor walking path and ramp to its facilities. The new, ADA-accessible walkway leads from the Center's building to its track and fields. Organizers say the pathway will allow more older adults to attend sporting events onside, such as football and baseball games. To make the pathway attractive, volunteers planted flowers. They also installed benches and picnic tables nearby. Organizers plan to add lighting to the walkway in the future, making it easier to traverse after dark.
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