Little Rock, AR

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: Older adults in assisted living facilities often lacked access to technology and digital skills, leaving them isolated from essential resources and social connections. To address this, the library launched a mobile tech classroom with tablets and held five four-week courses covering email setup, online safety and library apps. The sessions drew 269 participants and eased fears about technology through hands-on instruction and personal support. Repeat attendance and requests for ongoing classes show growing confidence, and the library plans to expand the program across its service area.

Little Rock, AR

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety

Description: When state transportation officials asked Arkansans why they don't bicycle more, the answer was clear: Because they did not feel safe. To address this, the City of Little Rock worked to educate drivers about road safety best practices. The City developed a two-hour training -- the Friendly Driver Certification Program -- modeled after a similar program in Fort Collins, Colorado. "Twenty years ago, we didn't have any bike lanes, pedestrian hybrid beacons or other new types of facilities to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe," program coordinator John Landosky told Little Rock Soiree. "That infrastructure is only useful if drivers know what to do around it." Since its launch, the class has educated more than 500 participants, with nearly six in ten saying it made them more confident in walking or biking. The City says the training also helped lay a foundation for its Complete Streets bike plan.