AARP Community Challenge Takes Quick Action in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP Pennsylvania announces two state winners for the AARP Community Challenge, aiming to create change and improve quality of life at the community level.

Improvement projects submitted by Tri County Community Action Commission in Harrisburg and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation were among 88 winners selected from 1,200 applications nationwide for AARP Community Challenge grant funds.  Each project is set to be completed by November 1, 2017.

"AARP is committed to making communities more livable for people of all ages," said AARP Pennsylvania State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh.  "The two winning Pennsylvania projects will have both an immediate impact and serve as building blocks for long-term community improvements."    

Challenge Grant funds will be used by the Tri County Community Action Commission to turn vacant, overgrown lots into usable spaces by planting grass that needs mowing only twice a year. 

At the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, the Challenge Grant funds will support a program called "Go, Go, Go…" that encourage residents to get out of their homes and spend time outdoors participating in a pop-up art program.

"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 the AARP Community 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.

About AARP

AARP has 1.8 million members in Pennsylvania. Follow AARP Pennsylvania on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AARPPA and on Twitter @AARPPA.

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name.  As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

CONTACT:             
Steve Gardner, AARP PA 
(717) 237-6481 or [email protected]  

Or 

Jacklyn Isasi, AARP PA
(267) 825-9928 or [email protected]

SOURCE AARP Pennsylvania

Related Links

http://www.aarp.org