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Anderson Arts Center (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
To expose locals to art and grow food for people in need, Anderson Arts Center beautified its campus by creating a new mural and community garden. The first mural in Anderson, it depicts a rabbit alongside a colorful fruit and vegetables. Since its completion, it has inspired other local organizations to create their own murals around town. Project organizers say within the garden's first year, the Center taught nearly 500 children about growing fresh vegetables. The Arts Center, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, hosts gallery exhibitions featuring regional, national and international artists, orchestrates downtown public arts projects and is home to a summer arts camp and arts school for children and adults.
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Madison Heights, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The Love Garden at the Chinese Community Center is popular with Madison Heights residents. To make the space more accessible and welcoming, the Association of Chinese Americans expanded the garden with a greenhouse, gazebo and new benches. The greenhouse enables the organization to grow more plants and involve new community members, and serves as a service and storage area for the annual Healthy Gardening Fair. With its contemplative environment, the gazebo offers an inviting, safe gathering place for community members to gather for meditation, Tai-Chi and light exercise. Organizers hope the upgraded amenities help improve residents' physical and mental health.
Pablo, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: On the Flathead Reservation, many older adults face food insecurity and chronic health issues tied to poor nutrition. The project installed eight gardening boxes, purchased lumber for 20 more and provided seeds and soil. Volunteers built boxes and planted vegetables, creating spaces for growing food and teaching traditional preservation. The garden now supplies fresh produce to older adult meal programs and homebound older adults, improving nutrition and reducing isolation. "I was able to plant my salad vegetables with my grandchildren... They enjoyed watering, picking and tasting what we grew," one resident said.
Tavernier, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The JOY (Just Older Youth) Center's staff saw a need to build connections and prevent loneliness. To do this, the Center added a new community garden. Engaging the expertise of a local gardener, Center staff built elevated garden beds, designed to be easier on aging knees than ground-level plots. They also purchased seedlings for the space. Today, the garden isn't just producing broccoli and collard greens. Project organizers say the garden is also a nurturing place for older adults to get together, socialize and learn new skills. And over the growing season, nearly 100 community members worked in the gardens.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Anderson, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Walkability
Description: Older adults and residents using mobility devices faced unsafe walking routes near a bus stop with no sidewalks or lighting. The alliance led five walk audits with more than 130 participants to identify hazards and propose relocating the stop to an ADA-compliant site. The effort also introduced ideas for artistic crosswalks and greenery. These actions sparked formal plans for a new bus stop and pocket park, with city leaders and local groups pledging support, laying the groundwork for improved walkability and community connections.
Anderson, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: Anderson County lacks affordable, accessible housing for older adults and people with disabilities, leaving many at risk of unsafe living conditions. The alliance hosted a housing design competition and charrettes to create realistic solutions, adapting plans after Hurricane Helene with virtual outreach and surveys. Five designs were unveiled for public voting, and the winning adaptive reuse concept inspired county leaders to explore converting vacant buildings into housing. Donated land and strong community engagement now position the county to expand options for low-income older adults.
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