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Delaware Center for Horticulture (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Gardening offers proven benefits for memory and mental health, yet many older adults struggle with mobility and strength, and residents in underserved neighborhoods lack access to fresh food. To address this, the organization purchased 105 ergonomic tools like telescopic rakes and kneeling benches, making gardening safer and more accessible. Volunteers, including 15 older adults, helped maintain community gardens and urban farms, fostering social connections and improving well-being. One volunteer said the new kneeling pads made gardening much more comfortable, enabling her to keep contributing.
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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Sheridan, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: This project will create a patio garden with flowers, vegetables, and seating to promote well-being for tenants and the community. It will provide fresh vegetables, enhance socialization, and offer a relaxing space for older adults.
Vernon, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: A vacant courtyard at the Senior Center offered little value while older adults had limited access to fresh produce and social engagement. The project transformed the space with eight raised garden beds, trellises and an accessible walkway. About 15 volunteers planned and maintain the gardens, which will supply vegetables for meals and share extras with members and local shelters. Participants expressed excitement about gardening again, anticipating healthier meals and renewed opportunities for connection and activity.
South Tucson, AZ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The Primavera Foundation improved the La Capilla neighborhood's community garden by building raised bed planters, adding ADA-compliant benches and making garden walking paths more accessible. In addition, the Foundation purchased ergonomic and adaptive tools, since the majority of residents who use the garden are older adults, often accompanied by their grandchildren. The garden improvements coincided with the City of South Tucson's Greenway Redevelopment Project, which brought public art to the neighborhood. To celebrate local residents' heritage, project organizers also installed a walking path to a mural located next to the garden. That mural -- created by student artists -- pays homage to the Yaqui and Mexican American cultures. Since this project's completion, the Foundation has made similar upgrades to another community garden.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Wilmington, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: Wilmington's aging public art was falling into disrepair, eroding neighborhood pride and cultural history. To address this, the museum launched a six-month Public Art Stewards program, employing eight residents to clean and document 21 works of art and refurbish six pieces. Participants also earned OSHA and CPR certifications plus financial literacy training, building skills for future employment. The effort restored neglected art, improved neighborhood aesthetics and created career pathways. One steward shared, "Public art is so integral to the evolving soul of our city... This program is such a cool path to personal enrichment and future opportunities."
Wilmington, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: Older adults in Wilmington's District 8 faced isolation and limited access to cultural experiences after the pandemic. To address this, the museum installed six large-scale murals across the neighborhood, including two at nearby living centers, featuring Jazz Age illustrations and quotes. These vibrant works transformed building facades into accessible art spaces, encouraging residents to step outside and engage with their community. The project sparked plans for annual installations to sustain revitalization. As one councilmember said, "The Delaware Art Museum team has done it again... Wilmington has yet another nationally, if not internationally, known exhibit right here in our backyard."
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