AARP Awards Community Challenge Grants to Hebron and Kearney Groups

 

AARP Nebraska announces two winners for the AARP Community Challenge, which is aiming to create change and improve quality of life at the community level. The winning projects include installation of wayfinding signage and benches in Hebron for increased walkability and start-up capital for recruitment and training of drivers for a ride-sharing system serving Kearney residents. Each project was partially or fully funded through the AARP Community Challenge grant and is set to be completed by November 1, 2017.

“AARP is pleased to support these fresh and innovative ideas put forth by local leaders to make their communities more livable for people of all ages,” said Connie Benjamin, state director of AARP Nebraska. “We are excited to watch these projects come to life in the next few weeks, which will reap near immediate benefits for residents of Hebron and Kearney.”

Nebraska’s grant winners are the Thayer County Walking Coalition and KearneyWORKS. In Hebron, the coalition’s placement of signage and benches will support trail access for older adults and provide resting places in designated scenic areas.

KearneyWORKS strives to implement programs that benefit the city’s unemployed and underemployed residents. The AARP grant will help the agency implement an affordable, ride-sharing option for people in need.

“Great communities require careful planning and time,” said AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond. “These quick action projects will give community leaders the motivation and momentum to create greater change.”

All of the winning projects in this challenge will deliver on one or all of the following:

• Improve social connections through the built environment benefiting people of all ages and abilities in the community.
• Expand opportunities for all residents, such as job, volunteer, and educational/training opportunities.
• Drive inclusive community engagement and interaction across a diverse population.

For a complete list of the winners and projects, visit aarp.org/CommunityChallenge.