See More Projects Like This One

Long Beach, CA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: In Long Beach, older adults lacked spaces for cultural connection in a neighborhood marked by poverty and pollution. Placemaking US built a traditional communal comal using techniques developed long ago, and hosted tortilla-making workshops where elders taught masa preparation. More than 100 participants, including local chefs and volunteers, joined intergenerational sessions that celebrated heritage and sustainability. The project created lasting programming at Rancho Los Cerritos, turning it into a hub for cultural exchange and reducing isolation. One participant shared, "I didn't realize how much I missed this until I felt the heat from the comal and smelled the fresh masa."

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

Barceloneta, PR

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: An abandoned lot in Barceloneta left older adults without a safe, inclusive space for recreation and connection. The project converted the site into a community garden with ramps, picnic tables and shade structures. It also hosted monthly workshops on farming and composting. Volunteers helped install accessibility features and maintain the space. The garden now serves as a hub for learning and social interaction, promoting food security and emotional well-being. One community leader said she was grateful for a place where she could unwind and talk while being surrounded by nature, highlighting its impact on residents quality of life.

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

Isleta Pueblo, NM

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: This project will provide older adults with a year-round gardening space near the Elder Center and horno bread ovens. It will feature raised beds for growing traditional plants, herbs, and vegetables.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Honolulu, HI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement

Description: Dangerous multi-lane crossings left pedestrians navigating long gaps in traffic, with low vehicle yield rates that created daily safety concerns for people walking to homes, bus stops and community services. The project installed new signs, fresh pavement markings and a solar-powered rapid-flashing beacon to make the crosswalk more visible. Yield rates rose from 60 to 87 percent after installation, improving comfort for people on foot. One community member said, "Thank you for this, I feel better walking here." The pilot also showed the city it could deliver similar safety fixes more quickly at other high-need sites.

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

Honolulu, HI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Digital navigation skills

Description: As SNAP benefits dropped and food prices soared, many older adults in Honolulu struggled to afford groceries. They also faced barriers volunteering at The Pantry's eCommerce food distribution program due to limited digital skills. The project trained more than 375 older adults on basic computer navigation, teaching account setup and ordering across laptops and tablets. This enabled volunteers to assist others and order food themselves, impacting nearly 2,000 older adults. One participant now orders for her assisted living facility, saying the training helped her meet cultural preferences and support neighbors.

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

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