AARP Awards Grants to 5 Organizations in New Jersey as Part of Nationwide Program to Make Communities More Livable
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Today, AARP announced 5 organizations throughout New Jersey will receive 2024 Community Challenge grants – part of AARP’s largest investment in communities to date with $3.8 million awarded among 343 organizations nationwide. Grantees will implement quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; and more, with an emphasis on the needs of adults ages 50 and older.
“AARP New Jersey is committed to working with local leaders, advocates and policymakers to make our communities better places to live for New Jerseyans of all ages, especially those 50 and older,” said Chris Widelo, AARP New Jersey State Director, “We are proud to collaborate with this year’s grantees as they make immediate improvements to address long-standing and emerging challenges across our communities.”
Here in New Jersey projects funded include:
- Township of Montclair
- The community senior center, Edgemont Park House, will build a vegetable garden with four waist-high, American-made raised beds. Seniors will collaborate with Troop 12 in an intergenerational project to create and maintain the garden, aiming to improve their mobility and dexterity through hands-on learning. Paths between the beds will be 42 inches wide for easy movement, and the entrance gate will ensure ADA accessibility. Partnering with Montclair Community Farms, a seven-course program will help seniors start the garden, with seedlings provided for hands-on opportunities in tending and harvesting. Vegetables grown will be enjoyed by seniors, with any surplus donated to Tony's Kitchen, serving over 200 people weekly. This garden will be sustained annually by seniors, Edgemont Park House employees, and volunteers.
- Jersey City Housing Authority
- JCHA's proposal addresses the career transition needs of aging Section 3 workers, particularly those over 50, by focusing on digital literacy and professional development. The project will enroll 20 eligible individuals in a comprehensive program to equip them with skills for less physically demanding roles in office, remote, or hybrid settings. It emphasizes essential digital skills, familiarity with online platforms, and soft skills for office environments, along with workforce readiness and leveraging digital tools to enhance employability. Participants will learn to create up-to-date resumes, develop LinkedIn profiles, and employ effective job search strategies through in-person sessions and online courses. The program also covers professionalism best practices, such as email etiquette and spell check services. JCHA will leverage partnerships with local educational institutions and technology providers to provide participants with laptops, professional development courses, and tailored training.
- The Food Brigade
- The Passaic County Community Pantry will be a new food distribution center designed to serve residents of Passaic County dealing with food insecurity. The pantry will operate like a grocery store, allowing clients to browse and shop to maintain dignity in the food selection process. Clients must register and meet USDA eligibility criteria, completing a self-verifying form either in person or online. Once registered, clients receive a scannable Food Pantry Access Pass to use each time they shop, and shop using a points system based on household size. Healthful food options have lower point values to encourage better nutrition. Clients check out with staff, and their points are recorded.
- Montclair Gateway to Aging in Place
- mGAP's SmartSenior/SmartTech (SS/ST) digital navigation training pilot has been n effect since 2021. Soon, mGAP will have a permanent Hub, providing regular scheduling, storage, and classroom space. This Hub will also allow the development of two new SS/ST modules focused on digitally managed assistive technology and digital communication during emergencies. Grant funds will be used to document the SS/ST program into a replicable model, formalize training for home-use assistive technology, acquire demonstration devices, and create an emergency digital messaging module.
- Maplewood Memorial Park Conservancy
- This project will complete an interior pathway loop in Maplewood Memorial Park, ensuring safer access for users of this central 25-acre park. Currently, access is limited to grassy areas or a busy road with a narrow, unshaded sidewalk. An asphalt path will provide a safe, pleasant route for older adults, commuters, and park visitors, including sports field users, playground goers, and participants in the YMCA after-school program. Additionally, a historic planted entryway will be restored, with new trees providing shade. The town and volunteers, particularly those aged 50+, will cooperatively plant shrubs and perennials. The DPW will install dawn redwood trees, while volunteers handle smaller plants. Future phases include adding seating, lighting, and restoring a landscaped border to enhance beauty and shield park users from traffic.
This year, AARP awarded three different grant opportunities, including flagship grants, capacity-building microgrants for improving walkability, bikeability and accessible home modifications, and demonstration grants that focus on equitable engagement to reconnect communities, housing choice design competitions and improving digital connections to endure disasters.
With funding support from Toyota Motor North America, the program is increasing its investment in pedestrian safety projects that will improve streets and sidewalks, create vibrant pedestrian infrastructure, engage community members and much more. AARP is also bolstering its investment in community resilience, rural communities, and addressing disparities.
Whether it’s helping people access high speed internet or protecting public transit riders from rain and snow, small community projects can have a big impact on people of all ages,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “AARP Community Challenge grantees make our commitment to creating better places to live a reality through quick, innovative solutions.
The grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages, with an emphasis on people ages 50 and older. Since 2017, AARP New Jersey has awarded 36 grants and $476,336 through the program to nonprofit organizations and government entities across the state.
AARP Community Challenge grant projects will be funded in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. True to the program’s quick-action nature, projects must be completed by December 15, 2024.
View the full list of grantees and their project descriptions at aarp.org/communitychallenge and learn more about AARP’s livable communities work at aarp.org/livable.
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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.
