A program that funds ideas for improving communities is now open to applications. The AARP Community Challenge grant program is accepting applications until March 6th for projects that can be enacted quickly to make cities more livable for people of all ages.

Stacy Larsen, communications director for AARP Oregon, said the program has a track record for supporting communities of all sizes.

"They deliver really unique support to rural communities. Since the beginning of the program in 2017, 46% of the grants distributed in Oregon have been to rural communities," Larsen said.

Since its start in 2017, the program has invested $16.4 million in more than 1,300 projects nationwide, including 28 in Oregon. The program is open to local nonprofits and governments. A webinar for interested applicants will be held on the AARP website on January 31st at 11 a.m.

Applicants can apply in three different grant areas. Those include capacity-building microgrants, demonstration grants and flagships grants, which allow for the most creativity and flexibility. Larsen has some tips for those applying.

"The applicants who can demonstrate that they are addressing a clear need, that brings positive change to make their communities more livable for residents of all ages, and that they're addressing disparities for people of color or other historically marginalized groups will find themselves rising to the top," she explained.

Selected projects must be completed by December 15th.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded GI Bill benefits, removing the 36-month cap for veterans with multiple periods of service. This change is expected to impact more than a million veterans, offering greater access to education and job training. Ohio is home to programs that aim to empower veterans, providing them with the tools to succeed after their service. One such initiative, DAV Patriot Bootcamp, has been making a profound impact.

Dan Clare is AV Patriot Bootcamp chief communications and outreach officer.

"Ohioans need to know about DAV Patriot Bootcamp. It's an entrepreneur program... trying to give them the building blocks to make success accessible to them after they've served and sacrificed for their country," he said.

The Ohio-founded DAV Patriot Bootcamp provides mentorship and resources to help veterans and their spouses start businesses. While the program has been praised for its impact, critics argue that initiatives like this only address a narrow aspect of veterans' reintegration, leaving broader challenges like affordable health care and housing unmet.

John Matecki, owner of the Whiskerman company, is a veteran who benefited from the bootcamp and said it shaped his entrepreneurial path.

"Since going through, it's a three-day, drinking-from-a-fire-hose-type entrepreneur course... I've landed an amazing mentor who helped get us copyright (and) trademark of our logo and name," he said.

While programs like DAV Patriot Bootcamp foster business success and economic contributions, veterans and advocates emphasize the need for comprehensive solutions to reintegration challenges. With upcoming bootcamp cohorts in February and May, Ohio veterans have new opportunities to engage, but questions remain about addressing the broader needs of those who served.


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Many towns and nonprofit groups probably have ideas about how to improve their communities and now, there is a chance to get funding for projects.

The AARP Community Challenge grant program looks for quick-action projects to make neighborhoods more livable, especially for people age 50 and over. Now in its ninth year, the grant program encourages thinking about ways to better livability by improving public spaces, transportation, housing or digital literacy, to name a few.

Todd Stubbendieck, state director of AARP Nebraska, said they have seen requests for projects in excess of $20,000 but also for as little as a few hundred.

"It's oftentimes less about the money than sort of the impact of the project," Stubbendieck explained. "Sometimes a couple hundred dollars can be a high, high-impact project for a particular community."

The application period has just started for this year's grants, and is open until March 5. Grant winners will have until mid-December to finish their projects.

While the grants often help people over 50 in small or rural communities, Stubbendieck pointed out they have also made a big impact in Nebraska's urban areas, in ways that might not be obvious when thinking about community service grants.

"We funded a project with the City of Omaha that did two traffic-calming safety pedestrian projects at places where there had been pedestrian accidents in the past," Stubbendieck noted.

Other past grants have funded a digital literacy project to help seniors in Lincoln learn basic digital skills and a project in the town of Holdrege, population 5,500, to transform an abandoned lot into a vibrant public gathering place.

A winter storm is headed for north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee, and warming stations are working to provide a safe space for the unhoused.

The National Weather Service predicts that Lawrence, Limestone and Morgan counties could see up to four inches of snow today through Friday, with some surrounding areas expecting up to two inches.

Sgt. Rebecca Lahman with the Salvation Army in Decatur said they have been preparing for the storm, emphasizing the scope of the need in the surrounding area.

"We have about 175 homeless just in the city of Decatur. We also serve Morgan, Limestone and Lawrence counties, and in those three counties, there are no shelters," she said.

The Salvation Army has opened a 24/7 warming shelter since Monday at 4 p.m. and plans to continue until Sunday morning. The shelter is located at 114 14th Street Southwest in Decatur.

As they work to prepare for the winter storm, Lahman cited a critical need for volunteers to help with the warming shelter. Since the shelter serves three areas, Lahman noted a need to assist with transportation to and from the facility. Inside the building, the small crew is stretched thin, and overnight shifts are particularly difficult to staff, and Lahman said volunteers are crucial to ensuring no one is left out in the cold.

"I need volunteers desperately for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and I do need some volunteers that are willing to stay overnight," she continued.

Lahman shared plans to keep the shelter open next Monday and Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m., calling for community help through volunteers and donations. She said donations help with food purchases from the food bank, while such items as twin mattresses, sheets and blankets are also in high demand. People who want to donate or volunteer can text 256-556-5075.