AARP awards community grants to three New Jersey organizations as part of record-breaking year for nationwide program

(August 20, 2020) - Communities across New Jersey are working each and every day to become more livable for residents of all ages.

In support of that work, AARP is excited to announce the largest number of grantees and funds to-date through the Community Challenge grant program. These “quick action” grants are being distributed to 184 organizations across all 50 states, Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Community Challenge funds innovative projects that inspire change in areas such as transportation, public spaces, housing, smart cities, civic engagement, coronavirus response and more.

AARP New Jersey is incredibly proud to have three 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 and the coronavirus pandemic has only underscored the importance of this work.

Here in New Jersey, these exciting and diverse projects were funded:

• Metuchen Downtown Alliance: This project will help support the recovery of downtown businesses from COVID-19 by installing parklets and other interventions to repurpose sidewalks, streets, parking lots, and alleys to enable dining and physical activity at a safe, social distance.
  
• Trenton Health Team: This project will set the stage for a citywide conversation about expanded bike programs and infrastructure accessible to all by piloting a bike share program geared toward older adults.
  
• Harvest Family Success Center: This project will provide a free produce market day geared toward older adults and offer a library of health and wellness books, all while enabling weekly check-ins with older adults who may be isolated.
  

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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey’s livable communities work at aarp.org/livable.