AARP Commits Thousands of Dollars to Strengthen Seven Communities Across Pennsylvania

AARP today announced seven organizations throughout Pennsylvania will receive 2025 Community Challenge grants. The grants are part of AARP’s $4.2 million commitment to fund 383 quick-action projects aimed at making communities more livable for people of all ages, with a focus on the needs of older adults. The funds will support efforts to improve public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and other key areas.

Now in its ninth year, the Challenge has awarded $538,329 through 46 grants in Pennsylvania since 2017 to nonprofit organizations and local government entities across the state. Grant projects will be funded in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“AARP Pennsylvania is proud to work with communities across the state to help make them more livable for people of all ages,” said Bill Johnston-Walsh, AARP Pennsylvania State Director. “These projects are about turning great local ideas into real improvements that make everyday life better, especially for older Pennsylvanians.”

Here in Pennsylvania, projects funded include:

• SACA Development Corporation – Lancaster, PA ($9,500)
  Public Art & Placemaking
  Will enhance the plaza near the senior center with public art and technology celebrating Latino older adults’ migration stories, including a steel sculpture, oral history QR codes, and plaza upgrades.
• Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation – Camp Hill, PA ($15,000)
  Outdoor Access & Inclusion
  Will improve outdoor recreation access for older adults and people with disabilities in state parks and forests, with communication campaigns, training, transportation, gear lending, and an all-terrain wheelchair. (Partially funded due to high demand.)
• Northampton County – Countywide, PA ($12,000)
  Digital Navigation Skills
  Will host digital device training events with refurbished device distribution, transportation, and refreshments to improve digital literacy for residents age 50-plus.
• West Mt. Airy Neighbors – Philadelphia, PA ($12,164)
  Pedestrian Safety Enhancements
  Will install daylighting treatments at three intersections to improve visibility and safety for older adults near senior apartments and transit stops. (Funded in partnership with Toyota Motor North America.)
• Philly Community Wireless – Philadelphia, PA ($20,000)
  Free Wi-Fi & Digital Literacy
  Will provide free Wi-Fi to 112 older adults at Somerset Villas and offer bilingual programming to expand digital literacy. (Partially funded with support from Microsoft.)
• Reading Hospital – West Reading, PA ($2,500)
  HomeFit Modifications for Aging in Place
  Will connect 30 high-fall-risk patients to the UDS CAPABLE program, which includes visits from a nurse, OT, and handyman to implement home safety upgrades.
• Fishtown Neighbors Association – Philadelphia, PA ($2,500)
  Walk Audit for Age-Friendly Infrastructure
  Will lead a walk audit along Girard Avenue to identify barriers for older adults, followed by a community meeting to discuss findings and recommendations.

“AARP Community Challenge projects may be quick to launch, but their impact is long-lasting,” said Nancy A. LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “We’re proud to support communities nationwide to advance solutions that make neighborhoods and towns of all sizes better places to live where everyone can thrive. And this year, we’re particularly proud to invest in projects benefitting often overlooked rural areas.”

View the full list of grantees and their projects at aarp.org/communitychallenge. Learn more about AARP’s work to support livable communities at aarp.org/livable.

MEDIA CONTACT:
TJ Thiessen, tthiessen@aarp.org, 717-381-7420