AARP Awards Grants to 5 Organizations in New Jersey as Part of Nationwide Program to Make Communities More Livable

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Today, AARP announced 5 organizations throughout New Jersey will receive 2024 Community Challenge grants – part of AARP’s largest investment in communities to date with $3.8 million awarded among 343 organizations nationwide. Grantees will implement quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; and more, with an emphasis on the needs of adults ages 50 and older.

“AARP New Jersey is committed to working with local leaders, advocates and policymakers to make our communities better places to live for New Jerseyans of all ages, especially those 50 and older,” said Chris Widelo, AARP New Jersey State Director, “We are proud to collaborate with this year’s grantees as they make immediate improvements to address long-standing and emerging challenges across our communities.”

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Here in New Jersey projects funded include:

• Township of Montclair
  • The community senior center, Edgemont Park House, will build a vegetable garden with four waist-high, American-made raised beds. Seniors will collaborate with Troop 12 in an intergenerational project to create and maintain the garden, aiming to improve their mobility and dexterity through hands-on learning. Paths between the beds will be 42 inches wide for easy movement, and the entrance gate will ensure ADA accessibility. Partnering with Montclair Community Farms, a seven-course program will help seniors start the garden, with seedlings provided for hands-on opportunities in tending and harvesting. Vegetables grown will be enjoyed by seniors, with any surplus donated to Tony's Kitchen, serving over 200 people weekly. This garden will be sustained annually by seniors, Edgemont Park House employees, and volunteers.
• Jersey City Housing Authority
  • JCHA's proposal addresses the career transition needs of aging Section 3 workers, particularly those over 50, by focusing on digital literacy and professional development. The project will enroll 20 eligible individuals in a comprehensive program to equip them with skills for less physically demanding roles in office, remote, or hybrid settings. It emphasizes essential digital skills, familiarity with online platforms, and soft skills for office environments, along with workforce readiness and leveraging digital tools to enhance employability. Participants will learn to create up-to-date resumes, develop LinkedIn profiles, and employ effective job search strategies through in-person sessions and online courses. The program also covers professionalism best practices, such as email etiquette and spell check services. JCHA will leverage partnerships with local educational institutions and technology providers to provide participants with laptops, professional development courses, and tailored training.
• The Food Brigade
• Montclair Gateway to Aging in Place
• Maplewood Memorial Park Conservancy

This year, AARP awarded three different grant opportunities, including flagship grants, capacity-building microgrants for improving walkability, bikeability and accessible home modifications, and demonstration grants that focus on equitable engagement to reconnect communities, housing choice design competitions and improving digital connections to endure disasters.

With funding support from Toyota Motor North America, the program is increasing its investment in pedestrian safety projects that will improve streets and sidewalks, create vibrant pedestrian infrastructure, engage community members and much more. AARP is also bolstering its investment in community resilience, rural communities, and addressing disparities.

"Whether it’s helping people access high speed internet or protecting public transit riders from rain and snow, small community projects can have a big impact on people of all ages,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “AARP Community Challenge grantees make our commitment to creating better places to live a reality through quick, innovative solutions.

The grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages, with an emphasis on people ages 50 and older. Since 2017, AARP New Jersey has awarded 36 grants and $476,336 through the program to nonprofit organizations and government entities across the state.

AARP Community Challenge grant projects will be funded in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. True to the program’s quick-action nature, projects must be completed by December 15, 2024.

View the full list of grantees and their project descriptions at aarp.org/communitychallenge and learn more about AARP’s livable communities work at aarp.org/livable.