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Westport, MA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Westport Council on Aging launched a fixed-route shopping service to address the lack of public transit in this rural community. Using wheelchair-accessible vans, the program provided rides for errands and shopping, helping older adults regain independence and social connection. Outreach sessions and newsletters promoted the service, and signage on vans increased visibility. One rider said, "This program is a Godsend... I am so grateful," underscoring how reliable transportation reduces isolation and restores autonomy for older adults who no longer drive.

Louisville, KY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: To provide a safe, comfortable space for older residents who are waiting for transportation, ElderServe set out to install a bus stop shelter near a popular Senior Center. Work involved pouring a new concrete slab for the shelter to level out the site.

Chula Vista, CA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: The City of Chula Vista wanted to increase older adults' familiarity with public transit options. Partnering with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, they held Travel Training 101 courses with more than forty older residents. Instructors provided trainees with information on how to read transit schedules, plan trips and purchase fares. Then they held field trips, using transit to visit a community festival and the Norman Park Senior Center. Additionally, participants received a 30-day senior transit pass. Following the training, participants said they felt more comfortable using transit, with 83 percent planning to renew their passes. One said she realized that the 20-minute bus ride between their home and the Senior Center saved her 62 a month. Previously she paid 40 round trip by taxi at least twice monthly.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Cottonwood, AZ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Residents in transitional housing faced food insecurity and limited access to fresh produce, a concern for older adults who rarely had the chance to grow their own food. After construction setbacks, the coalition shifted plans and installed container gardens on a back deck. Despite pests and record heat, participants harvested tomatoes and peppers and learned basic gardening skills. The project sparked interest in self-reliance and created moments of connection. One volunteer said that quiet mornings in the garden helped him open up about personal struggles, leading to mental health support and steps toward employment.

Yavapai County, AZ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Bike Audits

Description: Older adults who rely on bikes faced unsafe conditions in Cottonwood and Clarkdale due to missing bike lanes and poor signage. To address this, volunteers conducted 12 audits over three months, counting 270 cyclists and identifying critical safety gaps, including the need for specialty markings and education on helmet use. The findings now guide city planning and advocacy for bike lanes and multi-use paths, prompting collaboration with local councils.

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