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Fort Pierre Community Gardens (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
To provide residents the chance to grow fresh produce, the City of Fort Pierre began construction of its community garden in 2018. To kick off the project, organizers cleared the lot and constructed 24 raised beds, each including their own water spigot. The City also planted fruit trees at the site. As work continued in 2019, the City erected a fence around the gardens, added wood chips to create mud-free walkways between plots and installed picnic tables. That year all beds in the garden were rented. In 2020, the City added an accessible picnic table with an umbrella. Two local restaurants use the garden to raise produce for their menus and about 75 percent of gardeners renting plots are 60 or older. Project organizers report the success of the garden inspired other efforts to encourage healthy living in Fort Pierre, including improvements to the local trail system, a mural downtown and new lighting on a pedestrian bridge.
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See More Projects Like This One
St. Petersburg, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Inflation and food deserts left many older adults in St. Petersburg struggling with nutrition and isolation. The housing authority revitalized its community garden with six raised beds, shaded seating and irrigation. It also hosted workshops on sustainable gardening, budgeting and healthy cooking. Residents helped plant and harvest produce for a community pantry, creating opportunities for exercise and social connection. The project improved access to fresh food and reduced stress, with plans for expanded programming. One participant said, "The garden is important to me because it has everlasting memories... I would love to see this garden flourish again."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Stoneham, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The Boys Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield built an intergenerational community garden where older adults can mentor children from the clubs. They installed four garden beds, a rain barrel and a compost bin. They also provided to tools, soil, seeds and other supplies for use in the garden. Today, the Boys Girls Clubs hosts intergenerational programming at the garden, which allows older adults to teach children the value of gardening as a healthy outdoor activity.
Findlay, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Many older adults had limited access to fresh food and safe outdoor spaces, especially in areas with few grocery options and higher rates of disability. These barriers made it harder for residents age 50 or over to stay active, eat well and connect with others. United Way of Hancock County redesigned the Findlay Community Garden to better serve older adults by adding raised beds, clearer pathways and shared gathering areas that reduce physical strain and improve access. The updated layout allowed older residents to garden comfortably and return to a routine many had valued earlier in life. Participants shared that the changes helped them feel independent and connected while growing food for themselves and others. The expanded garden now supports ongoing volunteer involvement, food sharing and long-term use as a stable community resource.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Rapid City, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Visitors in busy community spaces often had no place to sit, leaving people without a comfortable spot to rest during walks or long visits. To address this, the group partnered with a welding class to design and build two ADA-compliant benches, which were finished with powder coating and installed on new concrete pads. Placing them in the market park created the only seating in that area and offered shaded resting spots for people spending time there. Members said the project helped them recognize broader unmet needs in their community and inspired future efforts. One volunteer noted that the benches were placed in "perfect shaded areas", making the park easier for people to enjoy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Canton, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: The downtown highway crossing in Canton had become hazardous for people walking and biking because drivers often failed to slow or stop. The Chamber used bike audits to document safety gaps and visibility issues, then partnered with the state DOT to install new signs and repaint crosswalks. These steps set the stage for safer routes and more predictable movement for those who rely on walking or biking. Plans are for additional installations to be installed in the upcoming year.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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