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Delaware Nation of Oklahoma (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Delaware Nation created an accessible community garden in an area designated as a food desert. Residents of all ages use the garden to plant and harvest fresh fruits and vegetables. The garden includes 25 raised beds, constructed at different heights to accommodate older adults and people with mobility differences. Two beds are specifically designated for growing native plants. Delaware Nation also purchased gardening tools, including wheelbarrows, trellises, garden hoses, an irrigation system and reusable frost blankets. Much of the produce grown onsite is used in meals prepared for the tribe's older members. Tables, shade umbrellas and a charcoal grill allow tribal members to gather and enjoy produce from the garden together.
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See More Projects Like This One
Laramie, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults in Laramie lacked accessible spaces for gardening and social connection. Age-Friendly Laramie transformed unused property at the Eppson Center into a welcoming garden with raised beds, a wheelchair-accessible picnic table and a storage shed. Volunteers added a colorful mural and helped plant, water and harvest herbs and vegetables for meals at the center. The garden now offers fresh produce and a safe place to gather, with plans for pathways and expanded beds. One longtime resident said gardening again "brought back memories" and gave him a sense of purpose.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Montclair, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Montclair Community Garden has long been used by community members as a central gathering place, despite a lack of older adult-friendly amenities. The Montclair Community Foundation installed three raised garden beds, specifically designed for people with mobility restrictions, those who cannot easily bend down and gardeners who use wheelchairs. Additionally, the foundation installed an ADA-compliant picnic table, an 18-by-27-foot shade structure and new LED lighting. These changes enable residents of all ages and abilities to enjoy the garden. Now that the improvements are complete, project organizers say they are piloting a health education program at the garden, which will welcome patients whose doctors have recommended they spend time outdoors.
Delaware County, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: To give older adult residents of an affordable housing complex a space to gather, SourcePoint and Age-Friendly Delaware County created an accessible community garden. Volunteers installed raised beds to enable gardeners to work without needing to kneel down. Additionally, they laid an ADA-complaint crushed gravel path, added accessible benches and erected an aluminum fence around the space. Today, St. Michael's Community Garden hosts programming for gardeners and non-gardeners alike, including healthy cooking classes. Project organizers say the garden has helped combat social isolation, and senior housing residents now grow produce in their own backyard, which helps reduce their grocery bills.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Chickasha, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: As part of wider efforts to revitalize Chickasha's downtown, the Chickasha Economic Development Council made several streetscape improvements. To increase foot traffic to local businesses, volunteers decorated crosswalks with pavement art and created a mural. They also installed benches and bike tracks. The branding effort is meant to redefine the town's commercial district and connect it with the surrounding neighborhoods. Project organizers hope to build on the improvements in the future, adding additional public art and pedestrian infrastructure.
Carnegie, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Housing Design Competitions
Description: The Kiowa Tribe will host a Tiny Home for Elders Design Competition to develop affordable, accessible, and culturally relevant housing for older adults. This initiative aims to generate innovative housing solutions that support aging in place and older adult well-being, while reflecting Kiowa traditions.
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