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Age-Friendly Funding Alert: AARP Community Challenge Now Accepting COVID-19 Response Submissions

News and Updates

The AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to fund “quick-action” projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages. Applications are being accepted for projects to improve housing, transportation, public space, technology (“smart cities”), civic engagement.

Now, applications are also being accepted that address COVID-19 response. This, according to AARP, will include food access, virtual engagement, and access to connectivity, services and economic activity. Continue reading →

‘Good Neighbors’ Service in Greater Boston Matches Older Adults and Volunteers

News and Updates, , ,

Nesterly, an intergenerational homesharing platform, in partnership with the City of Boston, created a new, free service called Good Neighbors. Good Neighbors supports older adults who must stay home as a result of COVID-19 by matching them with volunteers to fulfill no-contact deliveries and friendly check-ins (calls/letter writing).

This service is available in Greater Boston, which Nesterly and the Good Neighbors initiative have defined as within 20 miles of the city. Also available are longstanding organizations like FriendshipWorks and Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly, which also connect older adults and volunteers.

Continue reading →

Governor Baker Announces Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund

News and Updates

The Governor and First Lady Lauren Baker announced the launch of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund, which will help support essential frontline workers and vulnerable populations across the state, including Massachusetts residents and immigrants facing homelessness, food insecurity, and loss of critical services as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Continue reading →

COVID-19 Updates and Resources for the MHAC Network: 3/20-3/26

News and Updates,

MHAC is continuing to collect and share updates on COVID-19 from state government, federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control, and other key stakeholders.

These updates are to help and inform a wide range of individuals and partners, including communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly.

Please see the latest updates below: Continue reading →

Greater Boston Orgs Collaborate on Platform to Connect Volunteers with Nonprofits

News and Updates

A new volunteering platform is launching in Greater Boston to provide another avenue for prospective volunteers to connect with organizations that need their help.

Connect for Good is free to both volunteers and nonprofits and is designed to provide users with a variety of intuitive entry points to discover nonprofit organizations that match the causes and types of activities they want to pursue. Continue reading →

Pop-up Placemaking Toolkit from AARP Can Help Create Vibrant Spaces that Create Community

Data and Reports, News and Updates, , ,

The term “placemaking” refers to the work of improving a particular public space or overall area to make it more of a destination and shared gathering place.

The Pop-Up Placemaking Tool Kit was created by AARP and Team Better Block to inform a broad audience of local leaders, policymakers, advocates and neighborhood residents about the many ways temporary projects can inspire positive community change. Continue reading →

Pittsfield Placemaking Project Highlighted by AARP

News and Updates, Stories from the Field

In their recent newsletter, AARP Livable Communities focused on cities that are “activating” their alleyways into vibrant community spaces that turn into more than a pass-through or a place people avoid.

In 2017, the community planning and design firm Team Better Block helped to reimagine a stretch of Tyler Street in Pittsfield. Continue reading →

Age-Friendly Funding Alert: MassDevelopment Relaunches Commonwealth Places

News and Updates,
MassDevelopment is excited to announce the creative funding program, Commonwealth Places, in partnership with the crowdfunding platform Patronicity to help improve public spaces around the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Commonwealth Places, a collaborative initiative from MassDevelopment and Patronicity, is a crowdgranting challenge program to activate new or distressed public places and community spaces. The program is open to municipalities and nonprofits to improve low- and moderate-income communities in Massachusetts.

Continue reading →

Age-Friendly Grant Opportunity: Mass. Census Equity Fund 2020

News and Updates,

The Massachusetts Census Equity Fund 2020 is a statewide funding initiative with the mission to increase participation in the 2020 census in communities that are at significant risk of being undercounted.

Through this statewide grant program, the aim is to support community based organizations to educate, organize and empower residents in hard-to-count communities to respond to the 2020 Census. The 2020 Census will face additional challenges and barriers reaching those in historically undercounted communities.

Continue reading →