Hyattsville, MD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Addressing community health

Description: This project created an online tool -- called My Block Counts -- which allows community members to collect and report information related to local environmental health. Before rolling out the tool, researchers held online workshops to teach the community about environmental justice, public infrastructure and community health. Then they invited community members to use My Block Counts to do an inventory of their neighborhoods. The virtual tool guides users through a series of questions about the built environment. Once users complete the questions, their responses are available for other users to access. Project organizers hope the data collected will help community members advocate for improved infrastructure in their neighborhoods. In the future, they plan to roll out the tool on a national level.

Washington, DC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Genesis residents lacked a safe, inviting outdoor space, leaving older adults and families isolated. The project installed 20 resident-painted mural panels, solar lights and a welcome sign, and redesigned the patio with movable seating for performances. A fall celebration with food and music marked the transformation. "The murals look so lovely, and the lighting makes this area feel more inviting," said one resident, noting how the space now fosters pride and connection across generations.