Celebrating Community Transformation: AARP Georgia's 2024 Challenge Grant Recipients

ATLANTA, Georgia -- At AARP Georgia, we are excited to announce the 2024 Challenge Grant recipients who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to improving their communities. These projects, spanning urban, suburban, and rural areas, showcase the innovative spirit and dedication to enhancing the quality of life for residents of all ages. Here's a closer look at the impactful initiatives made possible through AARP's support and funding from our generous partners, including Toyota Motor North America.

1. Atlanta Department of Transportation - $12,500
Urban Flagship Grant – Transportation
Atlanta's streets are set to become safer and more accessible thanks to this project, which will install quick-build micromobility corrals. These corrals aim to improve intersection safety through daylighting and reduce sidewalk obstructions caused by micromobility devices. Although this project received partial funding, we are committed to working with the grantee to ensure its success.

2. Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful - $15,000
Urban Flagship Grant – Public Places
The heart of Macon will bloom with new life as this project revitalizes an existing park. Plans include expanding the community garden and enhancing the park's aesthetics with new benches, trees, flowers, and a vibrant mural. This transformation will provide a beautiful, welcoming space for residents to gather and enjoy nature.

3. City of Wrens - $15,000
Rural Flagship Grant – Public Places
In Wrens, community members, especially seniors, will soon enjoy a new pavilion, picnic tables, seating, and greenspace at Johnson Lake. This project, aimed at facilitating Senior Day fishing, picnics, and other outdoor events, received partial funding, and we are working closely with the city to maximize the impact of the available resources.

4. Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging - $6,000
Rural Flagship Grant – Public Places
Waycross's Bazemore Park will soon feature a beautiful gazebo, offering a shaded spot for residents to enjoy the park's open-air environment. This addition will make outdoor recreation more comfortable and accessible for all.

5. HWPL Georgia - $5,420
Suburban Flagship Grant – Public Places
In Clarkston, an unused office space will be transformed into a vibrant community center. This center will serve as a hub for intergenerational activities, fostering positive community harmony and providing a space for residents of all ages to connect and engage.

6. City of Mount Zion - $1,300
Rural Flagship Grant – Public Places
Mount Zion will introduce blessing boxes near the community center and library, offering 24/7 access to essential items with no questions asked. This project underscores the community's commitment to supporting one another and ensuring resources are available to those in need.

7. The Ke'nekt Cooperative - $20,000
Urban Demonstration Grant – Reconnect Communities
Atlanta's rich history will be preserved and shared through this innovative project, which will collect oral histories and map homes and people displaced in past decades. By engaging residents in intergenerational storytelling, the project will create a publicly accessible archive that honors the community's past and informs its future.

8. Bike Walk Golden Isles - $2,500
Suburban Capacity-Building Microgrant – Bike Audits
Brunswick will see enhanced bicycle infrastructure planning through this project, which will conduct bike audits along the MLK/Altama corridor. These audits will inform the development of a proposed multi-use trail, ensuring it meets the needs of local cyclists and promotes safe, active transportation.
 
[Click here to learn more about AARP’s impactful Livable Communities work.]

Looking Forward

These projects highlight the diverse ways AARP Georgia's Challenge Grants support community enhancements across the state. From urban transportation solutions to rural recreational facilities, each initiative reflects a deep commitment to creating age-friendly, inclusive environments. We are proud to support these efforts and look forward to seeing their positive impact on our communities.

Stay tuned for more updates on these projects and how they are transforming Georgia's neighborhoods for the better. Together, we are building stronger, more vibrant communities for all residents.