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The Association of Chinese Americans Inc. (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
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.
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Juneau, AK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: This project engaged volunteers aged 50 and older to help create a community garden that serves as a social hub, outdoor classroom and natural health club.
Billings, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: This project will expand a community garden by adding four raised beds, allowing gardeners of all ages to grow a wider variety of produce. The garden will donate its harvest to local food pantries.
Custer, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: After flooding destroyed the Custer Community Garden, the Custer Area Economic Development set out to relocate the beloved amenity to a new site. The organization created a new garden at a local high school, installing 16 raised beds, including wheelchair accessible and raised options to accommodate gardeners of all ability levels. Workers laid compost and mulch at the site and installed fencing to keep out foraging wildlife. The school's lunch program now has access to excess produce grown in the garden, which also provides educational programming to the community. Project organizers report that since the improvements, leaders from neighboring communities have reached out for advice for creating their own gardens.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Royal Oak, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: The city will add accessible seating and picnic tables to the local senior center and nearby park. The benches and tables will replace dilapidated amenities that are not ADA-compliant.
Berkley, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Walk audits in Berkley's downtown -- including one near age-restricted housing for older adults -- will identify possible walkability improvements. The organization will recruit older adult residents to take part.
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