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Good Journey (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Residents lacked nearby spaces for relaxation and wellness, forcing older adults to travel for peaceful outdoor areas. The project added two tranquil spaces to Bustani Ya Upenda garden: a wooden arbor with benches and a zen area with a solar fountain, lighting and sculpture. Volunteers, including older adults, helped build the spaces, which now offer calm and connection. A neighborhood leader didn't use to visit, but now visits often, saying he is impressed by the beauty created with older adults in mind.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Duluth, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults faced barriers to gardening and social activities at a former urban college farm due to limited accessibility. Ecolibrium3 addressed this by building four raised beds with adaptive tools and hosting art and storytelling workshops that brought residents together. Advisory meetings informed plans for ADA-friendly features like shade structures and pathways. The project strengthened intergenerational connections and set the stage for a fully inclusive farm that promotes mobility, health and community engagement.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Newark, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: To tackle food insecurity and urban blight, Unstoppable Girls Foundation improved two community gardens and launched an intergenerational program pairing older adults with youth. They shared gardening skills while more than 30 youngsters learned to plant, prune and embrace healthy eating. The effort fostered teamwork and pride, with nearly all participants reporting better physical and mental well-being. One volunteer reflected, "Gardening is one of the most rewarding activities for youngsters and senior citizens."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Seaford, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The project tackled the need for a more inclusive garden space and waived seasonal fees for local veterans to encourage participation. Grant funds added shaded seating, reading areas, accessible tools and a drip irrigation system that streamlined watering and improved efficiency. A permanent Little Free Library now invites neighbors to linger and connect, while the irrigation upgrade saves volunteers hours of work and sets the stage for new gardens that will supply fresh produce to local pantries and shelters.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: North St. Louis faces severe food insecurity, leaving older adults with limited access to fresh produce and safe outdoor spaces. Urban Harvest STL grew over 1,000 pounds of food at Fresh Starts Garden, donating most to programs serving older adults. The team installed accessible raised beds and picnic tables and repaired a generator to help power tools, making gardening easier for those with mobility challenges. Volunteers and apprentices age 50-plus joined in, and the season ended with a celebration of 100 community members. The garden manager said, "Gardening is very rewarding... The garden benefits the whole community because they get to see something positive going on."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: STL Village partnered with volunteers from the community to restore the Lewis Place Community Garden, which had gone unplanted during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers cleared the site of overgrowth, refurbished garden beds, installed a storage shed and planted and watered vegetables, shrubs and trees. Neighborhood residents formed a garden committee charged with maintaining the site going forward. STL Village also created a resource guide for local older adults with a specific focus on services for low-income families.
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