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Arcata House Partnership (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Residents of a 60-unit affordable housing complex, many previously unhoused and living with disabilities, faced isolation and difficulty adjusting to stable housing. To address this, the organization created a community garden with raised beds and accessible paths, giving tenants a chance to garden and connect. The space now fosters pride and teamwork, with residents planning seasonal crops and hosting volunteer-supported projects. One tenant said, "I couldn't wait to get my hands in the dirt and help feed my neighbors," showing the sense of community the garden has built.
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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Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Vacant land in Houston offered no space for older adults to grow produce, limiting access to traditional foods and cultural connection. The association began converting the lot into a community garden with raised beds for Southeast Asian vegetables, sparking conversations about caregiving and ways to keep people age 50 and over active. Plans now include adding flower beds, and older adults are sharing crop knowledge with youth. One resident reflected on the importance of projects like this to support older adult populations and caregiving.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Duluth, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults faced barriers to gardening and social activities at a former urban college farm due to limited accessibility. Ecolibrium3 addressed this by building four raised beds with adaptive tools and hosting art and storytelling workshops that brought residents together. Advisory meetings informed plans for ADA-friendly features like shade structures and pathways. The project strengthened intergenerational connections and set the stage for a fully inclusive farm that promotes mobility, health and community engagement.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Indianapolis, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Indianapolis' Far Eastside neighborhood needed accessible, public green space. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful partnered with the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside to transform a vacant lot into a community orchard with native shade trees, benches, accessible pathways, nature play space and public art. The orchard and green space, which are adjacent to a community center, also feature raised garden beds, fruit trees, native shrubs and more than 700 native perennial plants. Educational signage informs visitors about the benefits of playing in nature and the role of native plants.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Sacramento, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: ACC addressed the lack of an accessible outdoor space where older adults could garden and connect. New raised beds, benches, irrigation and a decomposed granite walkway made it possible for people with mobility or vision limitations to participate fully. Volunteers of all ages helped build the space, creating a sense of shared purpose. Older adults said the improvements let them garden up close again and enjoy time outside with others. The project strengthened social ties, increased daily engagement and established a long-term gathering place that will support health, learning and connection for years to come.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
San Diego, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The alleys in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego were underused and unsafe, with broken pavement and no inviting public spaces for older adults or families. To change that, the association painted two large murals celebrating nature and intergenerational engagement, repaved the alley for safe passage and hosted a pop-up event that drew nearly 300 residents to share ideas for future improvements. The murals and resurfacing transformed the alley into a vibrant, accessible space and prompted the city to prioritize alley upgrades. One resident said the murals "invite you to explore the alley for a closer look."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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