AARP Awards Grants to 14 Maine Communities as Part of its Nationwide Program to Make Communities More Livable

AARP is working in partnership with local leaders, organizations and dedicated residents to help make that vision a reality. As part of that effort, AARP is excited to announce the largest investment of grant dollars to date through the Community Challenge grant program. More than $3.6 million in quick-action grants are being distributed to 310 organizations across all 50 states, Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The AARP Community Challenge funds innovative projects that inspire change in areas such as public places; housing; transportation; diversity, equity, and inclusion; digital connections; community resilience; and more.

This year, AARP is also bolstering its investment in rural communities, mobility innovation, transportation options, and health and food access. The program accepted applications across three different grant opportunities, including existing flagship grants in addition to new capacity-building microgrants for improving walkability and community gardens. New demonstration grants will focus on improving transportation systems, with funding support provided by Toyota Motor North America, and housing choice design competitions.

AARP Maine is proud to have 14 grantees right here in our state! Our goal is to support their efforts to create great places for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities. As local leaders seek to better their communities for the future, this becomes even more critical.

Here in Maine, projects funded include:

• Age-Friendly Chelsea- A donated bus will be converted into an accessible greenhouse, which will be part of a community garden. The exterior of the bus will be decorated with tiles so that it will double as an art installation.
• City of Auburn- Walk audits will ensure intergenerational community design input for two MaineDOT-funded traffic and pedestrian safety modification projects and one in the planning phase. The sites require traffic calming to make it safer for pedestrians, including older residents
• Age-Friendly Saco- This project will provide a flexible shuttle service as a transportation option for older residents in the region, helping them to shop for groceries, attend social events and run errands.
• Age-Friendly Sullivan- The grant will fund an automated external defibrillator (AED) for the town's community building, which will be accessible to anyone using the facilities for exercise, meetings or other activities.
• Blue Hill Heritage Trust- An easily-traversed walking path and viewing platform, as well as a ramp that allowing for easy access to the shore will be developed.
• Cary Medical Center with Age Friendly Caribou- A digital toolkit will be created to inform residents about elder abuse and engage them in its prevention, with the additional aim of sharing the toolkit with other Maine communities.
• Friends of Congress Square Park- The grant will fund a badminton league, disc golf practice sessions and chess and board-game events to help bring people together with fun activities.
• Friends of the Long Island Wellness Council- The council will purchase a beach wheelchair to enable residents with limited mobility to enjoy the area's beaches.
• **Millinocket Memorial Library- Solar-powered lighting will be installed along a popular downtown walking trail, increasing safety and accessibility, especially for older walkers. **Project was withdrawn.
• Scarborough Public Library - This project will establish a network of walking paths to provide a safe place and programs for older adults to exercise and socialize outdoors in a community that lacks a walkable downtown.
• Three Rivers Land Trust- This project will install accessible benches and parking guidance to make it easier for older adults and people with mobility challenges to enjoy the Goat Hill Trail.
• Town of Berwick with Berwick for a Lifetime- The town will create a Handy Helper Tool Collection to enable residents to try out tools for everyday activities and household chores. The displays will introduce residents to new products before they make purchases.
• Town of Bowdoinham- The town will develop a plain language guide promoting the use of Universal Design as an approach to more inclusive, safe and accessible housing for people of all ages and abilities.
• Town of Windham Parks and Recreation Department- This project will provide an accessible, shaded picnic area to an existing park that will soon be the location of a self-guided walking trail.

The Community Challenge is part of AARP’s nationwide work on livable communities, which supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and counties across the country to become great places for all residents. We believe that communities should provide safe, walkable streets; affordable and accessible housing and transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents to participate in community life.

To learn more about the work being funded by the AARP Community Challenge both here in Maine as well as across the nation, visit aarp.org/CommunityChallenge. You can also view an interactive map of all of the Community Challenge projects and AARP Maine ’s livable communities work at aarp.org/livable.

Congratulations to this year's grantees!