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City of Montpelier Parks and Trees Department (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Older residents faced barriers to affordable fresh produce and lacked a welcoming space to gather. The project launched weekly pop-up farm-stand events outside the local center, offering low-cost food grown at the city's Feast Farm. A mobile stand, shade tent and signage were added, and volunteers-including many age 50-plus-helped run events featuring music and cooking demos. The farm stand became a seasonal hub for social connection and healthy eating. One volunteer said it was "wonderful to see all the fresh produce and feel part of something." Plans include continuing the farm stand and expanding different programs.
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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Montclair, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Many older adults lacked outdoor spaces for gardening, limiting chances for physical activity and social connection. The project built four waist-high raised beds with wide ADA-compliant paths and fencing, installed rain barrels and signage, and launched a seven-week gardening course in partnership with Montclair Community Farms. Local scouts helped assemble the garden. Residents have expressed how thrilled they are to have this available, adding that they now have a space that fosters pride and engagement.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: North St. Louis faces severe food insecurity, leaving older adults with limited access to fresh produce and safe outdoor spaces. Urban Harvest STL grew over 1,000 pounds of food at Fresh Starts Garden, donating most to programs serving older adults. The team installed accessible raised beds and picnic tables and repaired a generator to help power tools, making gardening easier for those with mobility challenges. Volunteers and apprentices age 50-plus joined in, and the season ended with a celebration of 100 community members. The garden manager said, "Gardening is very rewarding... The garden benefits the whole community because they get to see something positive going on."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Price, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Many older adults in the region faced food insecurity and few chances to connect with others in a safe outdoor space. SCAP began building an accessible community garden by installing raised beds, completing water infrastructure, adding wildlife fencing and planting shade trees with help from volunteers. These steps created the foundation for a shared space where people of all ages and abilities can grow produce and learn gardening skills. During planting work, older adults from the nearby senior center stopped to ask questions, and one woman said the chance to volunteer and receive produce would make a real difference for her. The garden is expected to reduce isolation, improve access to fresh food and become a long-term hub for learning, connection and healthier living.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Montpelier, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Montpelier's farmers market lacked shaded rest areas, leaving older adults vulnerable to heat and limiting their time at the market. To address this, the market added two rest tents with cushioned chairs, benches and water stations, plus rolling carts to help shoppers carry groceries. Volunteers maintain the spaces weekly, and the improvements have drawn praise from vendors and visitors, who say they can now stay longer and enjoy music and community events. The changes have made the market more accessible and social, with plans to expand seating and shade as demand grows.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Montpelier, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To provide a place for cyclists and walkers to rest and socialize, this project developed a pocket park along an existing bike path. Guertin Pocket Park features a pergola -- a wooden structure with a roof -- to provide shelter from the sun or rain. Project organizers also incorporated seating and bike racks, as well as a rainwater collection system that feeds a small decorative garden. In 2021, the city decided to move the pocket park to a new location in the heart of downtown.
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