Akron, OH

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: The project will create a new urban farm for the neighborhood, which is home to African and Bhutanese immigrant families, with individual garden plots and elevated beds for older gardeners.

Salt Lake City, UT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Salt Lake City's Taylorsville neighborhood is home to refugee families from Syria, Myanmar and Afghanistan. Many new residents, however, struggle with social isolation. To help people feel connected, Salt Lake County created a community garden at the local senior center. Volunteers built four raised beds and the County provided ergonomic gardening equipment, seeds and starter plants. Project organizers say the opportunity to garden gives older adults -- who were often farmers and ranchers in their native countries -- a renewed sense of purpose. Gardening also allows them to form relationships with their neighbors.

Highland Heights, KY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Volunteers designed and built raised-bed planters, which they installed at the senior center. Additionally, the Center hosted workshops to educate older adults about gardening.