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Brevard, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Families lacked a shared space for growing food and learning healthy habits. The project expanded a community garden with a 50-by-50-foot section and engaged retired tutors and students in planting activities. Gardening became a therapeutic activity that strengthened relationships and encouraged intergenerational learning. The space now serves as a hub for wellness and education, with plans for classes, volunteer recruitment and partnerships to grow participation and promote healthy eating.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Windham, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults in Windham had few chances for social engagement and healthy activities, leaving many isolated. The local center added raised garden beds and offered tools and weekly sessions led by a master gardener. This created an inviting space that drew new participants and expanded partnerships. The garden is now a hub for connection and learning, reducing isolation and promoting well-being. One participant said the leader's passion for organic cultivation "kindled my interest and active participation."
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.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Washington, DC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Genesis residents lacked a safe, inviting outdoor space, leaving older adults and families isolated. The project installed 20 resident-painted mural panels, solar lights and a welcome sign, and redesigned the patio with movable seating for performances. A fall celebration with food and music marked the transformation. "The murals look so lovely, and the lighting makes this area feel more inviting," said one resident, noting how the space now fosters pride and connection across generations.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Washington, DC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Resources about housing options, safety and services
Description: Soaring housing costs have left many older adults in DC unable to access homeownership or avoid displacement. Manna tackled these barriers by renovating 131 affordable apartments, hosting 34 workshops and assisting more than 1,200 clients through counseling and programs. Thirteen participants age 50-plus applied for home purchase assistance, and 53 avoided eviction or foreclosure. One counselor recalled helping a family of eight avert foreclosure after months of effort, saying the outcome "gives the Manna team a sense of progress, appreciation and reward."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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