Lloyd EcoDistrict is excited to announce that we have been awarded an AARP Community Challenge grant to help launch the Lloyd Prepares Challenge Campaign. 

The AARP Community Challenge is a grant program to make tangible improvements in communities that jump-start long-term change. It 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. AARP received more than 3,200 applications from nonprofits and government entities, resulting in a highly competitive selection process. Lloyd EcoDistrict was selected as one of the six recipients in Oregon. Some $3.4 million is being distributed to fund 260 quick-action projects across the country.

“AARP Oregon is committed to working with communities to improve residents’ quality of life through tangible changes,” said AARP State Director Bandana Shrestha. “We are proud to collaborate with this year’s grantees as they make immediate improvements in their communities to jumpstart long-term change, especially for Oregonians 50 and over.”

Lloyd EcoDistrict is effectively positioned to lead this work in our community. As a nonprofit focusing on residential resiliency, placemaking, and forging a path to decarbonization, we recently created a community-developed roadmap to prioritize equity, resilience, and climate protection at the neighborhood level. As we engaged hundreds of residents, local advocates, community organizations, small business owners, building managers, and other stakeholders to create this roadmap, we repeatedly heard requests for programs addressing resilience-building.

The Lloyd Prepares Challenge Campaign stems from these conversations. It is a pilot program based on the idea that communities that know and trust each other before an emergency or crisis are more resilient and will emerge from that crisis stronger. For our program, we will build residential resilience in the Lloyd area, especially for households that face disparate risks. Over the campaign, we will be offering a number of emergency preparedness workshops and incentivizing weekly tasks related to developing personal emergency preparedness plans, acquiring emergency supplies, developing connections with neighbors, and increasing knowledge through online and/or in-person training. 

We plan to launch the Lloyd Prepares Challenge Campaign in late summer. Sign-up for our e-newsletter here to receive updates on the campaign or email us if you would like to be involved in the planning or have questions. 

Thanks to AARP for the generous support to help make this community a great place for all ages. Combined with funding support from NECN and the Office of Community and Civic Life, Lloyd EcoDistrict is excited to pilot this campaign and bring valuable emergency preparedness training and programming to our neighborhood. 

Tags: AARP, emergency preparedness, LloydPrepares