WV Forward joins forces with AARP WV and the City of Charleston to drive positive community change

WV Forward joined forces with AARP West Virginia and the City of Charleston to announce that Charleston’s East End Community Park has been awarded a competitive AARP Community Challenge Grant to help drive positive change in the neighborhood. Selected from a pool of more than 1,600 applications nationwide, this project was one of only 159 accepted. WV Forward’s data-driven insights and grant-writing support helped secure grant approval.

“WV Forward is thrilled to join forces with AARP and the City of Charleston to celebrate our newest project that will support quality of life, health and wellbeing here in the east end of Charleston,” said WV Forward research scholar and grant writing contributor, Priscila Santos.

“We recognize that investing in our people and communities helps West Virginia meet our full potential, attract talent, grow businesses and develop a sense of belonging for people of all ages. Thanks to AARP and Mayor Goodwin’s team for the opportunity to help as we move Charleston forward,” said Santos.

Renovations to the park are scheduled to be completed this fall and will include the purchase and installment of new equipment, a splash pad, playground structures, lighting and greenery to make the park a fun and safe space for community members of all ages.

This year, recipients of AARP Community Challenge grants across the country received $1.6 million to support projects that make communities livable for people of all ages.

WV Forward is a statewide collaboration led by West Virginia University, the state Department of Commerce and Marshall University to help grow the economy by adding  jobs, investing in education and improving health and wellness to create the most prosperous West Virginia possible.