Fredericksburg, VA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: The initiative will create an accessible mulch trail and community garden beds within a protected natural area. These improvements will open a previously hard-to-reach space, allowing residents to enjoy gardening and walking in a safer setting.

Phoenix, AZ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: This project created waist-high, raised-bed planters for the Society of St. Vincent De Paul's urban farm. Designed to hold up in the Arizona sun and heat, the raised beds sit at the farm's entrance. Project organizers also planted shade trees and installed benches to better serve the garden's older adult volunteers and people with disabilities. A new chalk board also helps remind garden volunteers about progress on day-to-day tasks. Project organizers report that since the upgrades, many older volunteers have renewed interest in working in the garden.

Center Township, IN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: The Edna Martin Christian Center set out to provide food access, recreation options and income opportunities for residents of the Martindale-Brightwood area by creating a new urban garden space. To extend the growing season, project organizers built a hoop house at its Henry Blair Farm and Urban Gardens. The Center installed raised garden beds at the site, designed for gardeners to use while standing. New walking paths also ensured the gardens' accessibility. In addition, the Center created a labyrinth for prayer and medication, as well as a farm stand made from a repurposed shipping container. Project organizers envision residents using the beds for entrepreneurial projects, such as growing flowers or vegetable seedlings to sell at the farm stand. They also anticipate the gardens' operation needs will create employment opportunities for local older adults.