Box Springs, GA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Disaster Preparedness

Description: Older adults in West Central Georgia faced heightened risk during severe weather due to limited access to timely alerts and preparedness training. Crown of Life Foundation hosted disaster preparedness workshops, provided kits and helped residents enroll in emergency alert systems. The project also strengthened local warning capacity by installing new tornado sirens and expanding alert registration. Older adults reported greater confidence using their kits and understanding emergency procedures, with some attending multiple sessions. One participant said the combination of sirens, alerts and training made them feel more prepared and connected.

Macon, GA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Before 24/7 television, air-conditioning and smartphones, sitting outside and talking over a game of chess or checkers was a popular pastime. To give residents of all ages in South Macon a place to gather, South Macon Art Revitalization Technology purchased outdoor checkerboard tables and two oversized Connect Four games. A crew of neighborhood residents serve as volunteer game instructors onsite. "Chess, checkers and Connect Four are games that require critical thinking, patience and skill," SMART secretary Frankie Lewis said, noting that many older people in the neighborhood are accomplished chess and checkers players. "We want to make sure their skills don't get lost due to the lack of activity, and we want the elders in our community to share their knowledge with people here of all ages, but especially our youth."