Montclair, NJ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Many older adults lacked outdoor spaces for gardening, limiting chances for physical activity and social connection. The project built four waist-high raised beds with wide ADA-compliant paths and fencing, installed rain barrels and signage, and launched a seven-week gardening course in partnership with Montclair Community Farms. Local scouts helped assemble the garden. Residents have expressed how thrilled they are to have this available, adding that they now have a space that fosters pride and engagement.

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

Columbus, OH

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: The International Harvest Garden lacked shade and seating, leaving gardeners age 50-plus and families without a comfortable place to rest or gather. The project added a picnic table with side access for mobility aids, a shade trellis and improved walkways for easier navigation. These upgrades will support cultural events and reduce isolation, with volunteers saying the changes will make the garden "a sanctuary as well as a place of growth and education."

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

East Providence, RI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Older adults identified limited access to affordable, healthy food as an ongoing challenge, driven by transportation barriers and high rates of nutrition-related chronic illness. East Bay Community Action Program responded by creating an accessible community garden at the local Senior Center, where older adults helped shape what was grown and how the space was used. The project paired gardening with hands-on cooking demonstrations and a shared meal that used garden produce and prepared dishes. One participant wrote that they had started eating better and adding more vegetables to their diet. The garden also strengthened ties with schools and youth programs, supporting continued intergenerational involvement and establishing a lasting space for food access, learning and social connection.

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