St. Louis, MO

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: The project will create a community garden that celebrates Caribbean gardening traditions while growing fresh food locally. Participants age 50-plus will stay active, connect with neighbors and gain access to produce for everyday meals.

Rugby, ND

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: To help Rugby's residents access fresh produce, the Geographical Center Historical Society worked to turn an underused outdoor space into a fruit orchard. The space sits on the campus of the Prairie Village Museum, which is located in a food desert. To activate the space, Society reseeded the grass and planted fruit trees and shrubs. They also installed ADA-accessible park benches, tables and bike racks. Project organizers plan to invite students to the orchard for demonstrations on techniques for picking, washing and preserving the fruits.

Woodbury, MN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: To address the lack of gardening space for residents in apartments and facilities for older adults, the community garden expanded from 48 to 96 plots and added 35 raised beds plus 12 ADA-compliant wheelchair-accessible beds. Volunteers, including an Eagle Scout, built the beds, and educational sessions engaged older adults and others in the community. The garden now promotes healthy eating, mental well-being and social ties, with over 120 pounds of produce being donated to a local food shelf. One gardener called the raised beds "a perfect solution" for older adults and people with disabilities. She shared her excitement about growing vegetables again.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.