Safe Steps to Home — Make 30 Older Neighbors' Homes Safer (Wayne, NJ)

For many older adults and veterans, the hardest part of staying independent isn't inside the home — it's the short path between the front door and the sidewalk. Overgrown walkways, uneven edges, and unlit steps turn a trip to the mailbox into a fall risk.

Funded by a 2026 AARP Community Challenge grant, Safe Steps to Home will make 30 older-adult homes in Wayne, NJ safer before winter. Volunteer teams will do the hands-on work at each home: clearing overgrowth, defining clear walking paths, reducing trip hazards, refreshing path edges, and installing low-cost visibility features — solar pathway lights and reflective markers (two per home, 60 across the project). Each resident receives a "Home-to-Sidewalk Safety Pass" documenting the improvements.

Work happens in waves of 10–15 homes between August and October, on scheduled improvement days (~4 hours each). No special skills needed — we train on site, tools and materials are provided, and you'll work in a small team alongside the neighbor you're helping. Volunteers 50+ and veterans are especially welcome.

We're a 100% volunteer-run 501(c)(3) with 1,939 volunteers across all 50 states and 526+ households served. This project is how 30 more Wayne families get helped — and your logged hours may qualify for your employer's volunteer-grant program.

This project was made possible by a grant from AARP.