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Age-Friendly Chelsea (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Older adults in Chelsea had few accessible spaces for social connection or healthy activities, leaving many isolated. The project transformed a schoolyard into an intergenerational garden with eight wheelchair-accessible raised beds, a convertible bench and a canopy. Residents and students planted, harvested and shared produce, which supplied the local food bank and monthly luncheons. Donations and repeat visits showed strong community engagement. Future plans include expanding raised beds and adding a permanent structure for year-round use.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Pine Bluff, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Uneven surfaces and limited seating made it hard for older adults to enjoy gardening and wellness activities. To improve access, the organization installed an asphalt driveway and secondary parking area, repaired sidewalks and added ergonomic seating options. These changes created a safer, more welcoming space for gatherings and programs like Yoga in the Garden. The upgrades also sparked plans for new fitness events and attracted donors and volunteers, strengthening the garden's role as a hub for health and community connection.
Akron, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Shanti Community Farms created a Nepali garden to give older adults in Akron's diverse neighborhoods a place to grow familiar foods and reconnect with cultural traditions. Elevated beds made gardening easier, and families cultivated potatoes, mustard greens and Asian eggplant while preparing traditional dishes for picnics and farmers markets. The project boosted physical activity, improved diets and generated income through sales. It also strengthened intergenerational ties as grandparents gardened alongside grandchildren, reducing isolation and fostering community pride. Plans to expand into an education center promise lasting benefits.
Iola, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Limited infrastructure and seasonal constraints made gardening difficult for older adults and families. The project added raised beds, a greenhouse and a solar-powered system to run a pond pump, along with a worktable, soil and seeds. These upgrades created an accessible space for growing food and learning. The garden now produces vegetables for donation and serves as an educational hub for teaching gardening and food preparation. Plans include hosting a children's camp and expanding community involvement.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Description: Older adults in Central Maine face barriers to aging in place, from transportation to food insecurity, often hidden from public view. The project staged interactive performances based on real scenarios, inviting audiences to question actors and suggest solutions. Ideas like volunteer driver programs emerged, and feedback was shared with partners and media. "I learned how important community support is to the 50-plus community," one participant said, noting the emotional impact of seeing these struggles portrayed. Plans include training older adults to lead future performances, extending the dialogue.
Hallowell, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: An ADA-accessible ramp now spans the steep bank separating Granite City Park's parking lot from Hallowell's popular waterfront boardwalk and boat ramp. Vision Hallowell and the Hallowell All Age-Friendly Committee designed the 24-foot aluminum ramp to be installed seasonally, for use in the spring, summer and fall months. It joins several municipal ramps and docks that give residents access to the Kennebec River. While Hallowell has no town square, the waterfront fills this role. Thanks to the new ramp, older adults, those with mobility challenges and parents pushing baby strollers are now able to access the city's waterfront bulkhead, a center of activity featuring dozens of colorful Adirondack chairs.
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