ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Orangeburg County has received a certification from AARP and the World Health Organization designating its commitment to be an 'age-friendly' community.
The AARP's network of Age-Friendly States and Communities is the U.S. affiliate of the World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Program, an international effort launched in 2006 to help cities prepare for rapid population aging.
The effort, led by the One Orangeburg County initiative, means officials will be conducting surveys and listening sessions, creating action plans and implementing more affordable and appropriate housing and transportation.
"It lays out a plan of improvement for the community" says Kenneth Middleton, chairman of the Orangeburg County Development Commission, "It’s a bit of a marriage between what One Orangeburg County has been doing since it’s inception and what the the World Health Organization and AARP are trying to do with age-friendly communities. It’s all about making a collaborative attempt to improve."
One Orangeburg County will be holding meetings once a quarter for updates and to allow the public to provide input on what they would like to see in Orangeburg County.