See More Projects Like This One

Union, SC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Low-income older adults in Union County faced food insecurity and limited access to fresh produce, especially those who were homebound or had disabilities. To address this, the organization distributed more than 400 bags of fresh produce and installed accessible raised garden beds and ADA-compliant garden boxes. The project also launched a community garden and partnered with local groups to expand outreach. Residents expressed appreciation, saying "this is such a blessing," and "the new garden gives me a place to go." Plans are underway to add gardens in all four municipalities to sustain and grow the effort.

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

Baltimore, MD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Older adults in a Baltimore's North Avenue neighborhood needed an accessible place to gather. The project transformed the Red Shed garden with a concrete ADA walkway, a pergola for shade and lighting and spaces for community mosaics. Volunteers created a welcoming event area that now hosts gatherings and cultural celebrations. One participant said, "It means the world to me to be part of building this. We have helped our neighborhood and made something beautiful!"

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.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Flint, MI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: To make the Footbridge Park Plaza safer and more inviting, the Carriage Town Neighborhood Association added benches, trash receptacles and a dog clean-up station to the space. They also upgraded lighting, allowing visitors to more safely use the plaza at night. Many Carriage Town residents use the footbridge to walk to and from Flint's downtown. After the improvements, project organizers polled locals and found 80 percent said they were more likely to use the plaza. Neighbors have since begun work on a second plaza nearby.

Livingston, MI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: HomeFit Modifications

Description: This project will consist of five home safety events. Topics include common home hazards and prevention strategies, crucial home repairs for safety and accessibility, and cost-effective maintenance solutions.

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