AARP awards Community Challenge grants to 2 Maui nonprofits

Two Maui nonprofits – Grow Some Good and the Maui Academy of Performing Arts – have received $15,000 each from AARP’s Community Challenge grant program to improve Maui communities and make them more livable, especially for kūpuna.

Grow Some Good will use the grant to expand its Nā Māla Kaiāulu urban agroforestry initiative on Maui by planting 30 fruit trees and Native Hawaiian plants to create a shaded area for kūpuna. The project also includes workshops on sustainable farming practices.

“Nā Māla Kaiāulu’s agroforest expansion addresses Maui’s pressing need for affordable, nutritious and locally grown food,” said Grow Some Good Farm Manager Will Sands. “It aims to establish a thriving community hub that eases food insecurity in Central Maui while promoting health, equity and cultural resilience for kūpuna and all residents.”

The Maui Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA) plans to create a comfortable and accessible gathering area in a public space in Wailuku with new chairs and tables suitable for people of all ages. The space will support intergenerational interactions and enhance a sense of community.

“The Promenade food court on Main Street will feature new tables and chairs that accommodate all abilities and sizes,” said MAPA Executive Director Carolyn Wright. “The space will be open to the public all day and late into the evening, so people of all ages can gather and talk story before and after all the incredible arts events popping up in Wailuku town.”

The funding is part of AARP’s national Community Challenge Grant initiative, which supports quick-action projects aimed at improving public spaces and mobility in local communities. In Hawai‘i, AARP has awarded 31 grants totaling more than $413,000 since 2017.

“AARP Hawai‘i is proud to work with communities across the state to help make them more livable for people of all ages,” said Keali‘i Lopez, AARP Hawai‘i State director. “These projects are about turning great local ideas into real improvements that make everyday life better, especially for kūpuna.”

In addition to the Maui grants, 2025 funding also supported:

• $15,000 to the Kaua‘i Senior Citizens Softball Association to repair fields, build storage and improve restrooms
• $10,000 to US VETS to expand its Waiʻanae Coast career center with new computers, transportation vouchers and partnerships with local employer.

This year’s grantees were announced on Wednesday, June 18.

View the full list of grantees and their projects at aarp.org/communitychallenge. Learn more about AARP’s work to support livable communities at aarp.org/livable.