See More Projects Like This One

Highland Park, MI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: New community green spaces will be created in Highland Park. The work will engage older adults and youth in developing spaces such as flower gardens, rain gardens and other features that reduce stormwater runoff and enhance neighborhood environments.

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.

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.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Chicago, IL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety

Description: The program will offer guided transit training and group rides to help older adults learn bus and train routes. Participants will gain confidence using public transportation to reach health care, stores and community destinations.

Chicago, IL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: As part of efforts to provide affordable housing in Chicago, Elevate Energy set out to help an older adult homeowner renovate her two-unit building. The owner would be able to safely age in place in one unit, while renting the other unit out to a family in need of affordable housing. The improvements focus on accessibility upgrades and addressing deferred maintenance -- making the building less costly to keep up in the future. Project organizers rewired the entire building and replaced the roof -- improvements that helped project organizers attract funding from other sources to complete the renovation. They hope to use this project as a case study to demonstrate the potential for two-flats to enable aging at place and provide below-market rental housing.

LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED

Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages

people icon

Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities

download icon

Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter

mail icon

Don't see your community listed?

LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORK

Connect with your AARP State Office

AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

AARP Illinois State Office

222 N. LaSalle Street
Suite 710
Chicago, IL 60601
United States

Phone: 866-448-3613
Fax: 312-372-2204
Email: [email protected]