St. Petersburg, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Inflation and food deserts left many older adults in St. Petersburg struggling with nutrition and isolation. The housing authority revitalized its community garden with six raised beds, shaded seating and irrigation. It also hosted workshops on sustainable gardening, budgeting and healthy cooking. Residents helped plant and harvest produce for a community pantry, creating opportunities for exercise and social connection. The project improved access to fresh food and reduced stress, with plans for expanded programming. One participant said, "The garden is important to me because it has everlasting memories... I would love to see this garden flourish again."

Germantown, MD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Food insecurity and isolation affected residents near the hospital, especially older adults who faced barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. To address this, Holy Cross Health created an ADA-compliant community garden with 19 plots, two wheelchair-accessible tables and a Harvest Garden for donations and education. The program served 19 families, donated 205 pounds of produce and offered bilingual gardening classes and seedlings. Participants reported eating more fruits and vegetables and feeling more confident growing food. Plans include expanding the garden and partnering with schools and other care programs to broaden impact.

Greenville, MS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: As part of efforts to transform a vacant lot into a community garden, Greenville's Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church installed a new fence and hoop houses at the site. The hoop houses cover the beds and keep them warm, allowing gardeners to grow produce through the winter months. In addition, the church installed a sign to inform passersby about the Third and Spruce Community Garden. Since these improvements, project organizers made an agreement with a local food pantry to provide fresh produce to individuals and families facing food insecurity. During the 2021-2022 growing season, the garden produced about 900 pounds of fruits and vegetables. The Church also plans to hold gardening skills workshops and healthy food demonstrations for the community.