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IDEAS For Us (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
The Hindu Society of Central Florida is a vital center of the Hindu community. However, the temple's grounds needed a facelift. IDEAS for Us upgraded landscaping in the Society's courtyard, planting 250 native plants, as well as two magnolia trees. They also installed benches and an arbor to create a self-seeding, perennial garden that society members can use throughout the year. The project helped spur a thriving garden program and laid the groundwork for expansion to the space.
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Moab, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults in Moab wanted to volunteer in the community garden but faced discomfort with tasks like weeding. The project purchased kneeling mats, mobile benches and other tools to make gardening easier and hosted Weed n Feed events where volunteers worked together and shared meals. These changes opened the door for more older adults to participate, fostering social connections and encouraging physical activity. Organizers expect the improvements to help reduce isolation and keep volunteers coming back.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Charleston, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults relying on a local food pantry faced limited access to fresh produce, affecting nutrition and health. To address this, the organization created a community garden that supplies fruits and vegetables for pantry boxes and invites older adults to help grow them. Two Master Gardeners led the effort, mentoring younger volunteers and fostering intergenerational bonds. The garden now provides consistent access to fresh food and serves as a space for learning and connection. "It was a season filled with growth...in the hearts and minds of the young adults I had the opportunity to teach," said one gardener.
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.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Orlando, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
Description: To make accessory dwelling units easier to understand and use, Orlando launched an education campaign focused on aging in place. The city created bilingual brochures, enhanced its website and hosted six community sessions plus a major event on home safety. Nearly 400 people attended, and materials remain available online and at community centers. The effort clarified permitting and financing options, helping families explore ADUs as a housing solution. As one participant noted, "Families need clear guidance on what makes an ADU and why it matters."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Orlando, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public spaces improvements to increase high-speed internet availability
Description: In the neighborhoods surrounding Prince Hall Park and Willows Park, a large percentage of residents lack reliable access to broadband internet. To help meet this need, the City of Orlando installed wheelchair accessible, solar powered tables and shade structures -- each outfitted with charging stations and Wi-Fi hotspots -- at both neighborhood parks. Rated for 175 mile-per-hour winds, the tables can sustain hurricane-strength gusts, allowing residents to use them to charge phones, call loved ones or access emergency information during disaster scenarios. Local artists painted the concrete pads that anchor the two tables to depict positive images representing the community.
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