Live Well Sioux Falls Receives AARP Community Challenge Grant
Jul 18, 2018
Live Well Sioux Falls, a community health promotion and prevention program of the Sioux Falls Health Department, has received a $10,000 grant through the AARP Community Challenge program. The grant will be used to purchase additional bike maintenance stations and benches along the bike trail, as well as two wheelchair-charging stations at the Caille and Ronning branches of Siouxland Libraries.
Live Well Sioux Falls was one of 129 projects selected from nearly 1,600 applicants for the program, now in its second year of funding “quick action” projects across the country that help communities make immediate improvements and jumpstart long-term progress. AARP established priority areas from which applicants could choose, including:
- Deliver a range of transportation and mobility options that increase connectivity, walkability, bikeability, and/or access to public and private transit.
- Create vibrant public places that improve open spaces, parks, and access to other amenities.
- Support the availability of a range of housing that increases accessible and affordable housing options.
“Every day, we have residents and visitors in our community who walk, bike, and roll along sidewalks, streets, and the bike trail,” said Mary Michaels, Public Health Prevention Coordinator for the Sioux Falls Health Department. “One of the priority areas for Live Well Sioux Falls is to promote a safe, accessible transportation network for individuals of all ages and abilities. We are anxious to start working on this project with colleagues in other City departments to enhance the built environment and encourage people to get out and move every day.”
The Community Challenge Grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative that helps communities become great places to live for residents of all ages.
“AARP staff and volunteers work with hundreds of communities across the country to improve various aspects of livability, from nutrition and physical activity to transportation, housing, and civic engagement,” said Erik Gaikowski, AARP South Dakota State Director. “We have had the opportunity to partner with Live Well Sioux Falls in our statewide Livable 605 effort exploring how to improve livability in South Dakota communities, and we are excited their application was chosen for the Community Challenge Grant.”
Stay tuned for project updates in the coming months!
