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Woodbridge, VA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: To create a vibrant public space at the Woodbridge Senior Center, Keep Prince William Beautiful created a vegetable garden onsite. Organizers worked to repair raised beds -- designed to be accessible for gardeners of all ages and abilities -- and fill them with vegetable plants. Additionally, they installed a seating area at the Center's front entrance. All plants grown in the space are native to Northern Virginia and include pollinator-friendly species. The Center plans to cook with vegetables from the garden and organizers hope the improvements give older adults a beautiful outdoor gathering space.

Rolette County, ND

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Project organizers planted fruit trees and native plants, enhancing a new garden on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa powwow grounds. The community gardening space featured turtle-shaped pots, which hold flowers and plants -- such as sweet grass and silver sage -- needed for traditional medicines. The Committee hopes fruit from the trees will feed community members and visitors to the annual Powwow celebration. Additionally, the popularity of the turtle-themed planters inspired a fundraising idea. Powwow organizers plan to create similar planters to sell in the future, with proceeds going toward running the Powwow.

Reno, NV

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: The City of Reno transformed an underused area of Paradise Park into a community garden that addressed food access and social isolation among older adults. Many residents wanted affordable ways to grow fresh food and connect outdoors, but lacked spaces designed for regular participation. The project installed accessible raised beds and hosted gardening, nutrition and wellness activities throughout the season. Older adults played key roles in planting, harvesting and sharing produce, while volunteer days and intergenerational events kept the space active. Participants described the garden as a place to build routine and purpose. Partnerships formed through the project are supporting continued programming and long term use of the garden.

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

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Sheridan, WY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Supporting family caregivers

Description: Caregivers in Sheridan often face overwhelming responsibilities without clear guidance. Holy Name addressed this by hosting workshops on topics like legal planning, home health care and end-of-life decisions paired with respite care and shared meals. Volunteers organized sessions featuring expert advice and caregiver stories and provided resource books. "These workshops have been a blessing to me and so many in our community," one participant said. Plans include expanding the model statewide through guidebooks and training.

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

Sheridan, WY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Trails

Description: The North Main Association wanted to create a picnic area for Malcolm Wallop Trails, formerly known as North Park. To make the area accessible for people with mobility issues, the organization installed an ADA-compliant picnic table with and umbrella. In addition, they placed seven benches along the trails to allow people to rest during their walk or pause to observe deer, birds, squirrels and other wildlife. These improvements spurred the City of Sheridan to improve a parking area near the picnic table and install a sidewalk from the parking lot to the trails. The City also added a new trail to the site in 2021. Since the improvements, project organizers report an increase in visitors to Malcolm Wallop Trails.

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