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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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See More Projects Like This One
Seattle, WA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: This project spruced up the rooftop Pike Place Market Secret Garden, allowing volunteer gardeners to produce more fruits and vegetables there. All produce grown in the garden is provided to the Pike Market Food Bank, with nearly 500 fresh herbs and vegetables donated each year. In addition, the garden hosts intergenerational activities organized by a nearby assisted living facility, a childcare center and a preschool. The Pike Market Food Bank also received an AARP Community Challenge grant in 2019, which allowed it to install directional signage to help visitors find its hard-to-reach location. Established in 1982, the Pike Place Market Foundation aims to help low-income and unhoused Seattle residents who live in the neighborhood.
North Las Vegas, NV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: A neglected community garden limited access for older adults and residents with disabilities. The project repaired ADA garden beds, fixed water lines and improved stone pavement for safety. Volunteers joined in planting, pruning and harvesting, while others learned maintenance skills. The revitalized space became a hub for healthy activity and social connection, with one participant noting it now feels welcoming for everyone, fostering unity and shared purpose.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Florida City, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Food insecurity in Florida City left many residents, including older adults, without reliable access to fresh produce or safe spaces to connect. Sprout Up introduced aeroponic gardening, creating a shared garden where volunteers grow fruits and vegetables for community fridges and choice pantries. The project not only improves food access but also fosters social ties and a sense of purpose. "Being able to come to the garden and have someone to talk to has really made me feel less alone," said one participant.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Hayfork, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Addressing community health
Description: Thanks to new hygiene solutions -- including touchless water faucets and soap dispensers plexiglass dividers to protect staff and a touchless thermometer -- Hayfork was able to open its pool for the 2020 swim season despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the improvements, county public health mandates would have shuttered the pool, which is a multi-generational gathering place. Project organizers say the safety measures represented the community's high standard for pandemic response. Most of the hygiene measures remained in place at the pool for subsequent summers.
Redding, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Disaster Preparedness
Description: Older adults and family caregivers in rural communities face elevated risk during wildfire and other emergencies, often without clear preparedness guidance or local coordination. Shiningcare Inc. addressed this gap by hosting free disaster preparedness symposiums that connected residents with practical safety education, checklists and trusted local responders. The events also established new partnerships with rural fire departments, churches and voluntary disaster organizations, expanding the reach of preparedness information. The impact was immediate. After one session, a caregiver said reviewing the checklist revealed her mother was not ready for an emergency, a realization echoed by others nearby. Another older adult shared they now felt safer and more prepared for fire season. These experiences helped reduce fear and built a foundation for ongoing, community-based preparedness efforts through future annual events.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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