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Opa-locka Community Development Corporation (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
For Opa-Locka residents, the closest supermarket is more than a mile away, making fresh produce in this low-income community hard to come by. The Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation conducted an extensive community engagement process to determine what kinds of fresh produce the community needed most. They then responded by planting 14 fruit trees -- as well as herbs -- in the common area of a multifamily residential development. The CDC also installed lighting, benches and other amenities in the space, allowing residents to gather there.
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Flint, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Genesee County struggles with food insecurity and chronic disease, challenges worsened by the pandemic and Flint's water crisis. To address these issues, the coalition expanded gardens at nine sites, adding accessible raised beds, farm fields and in-ground plots. Volunteers repaired a greenhouse and launched a countywide garden network to share resources and expertise. These efforts are creating lasting change by increasing access to fresh produce and safe outdoor activity for older adults. "We would like to have as much in the works as we can to grow big for spring... We have built a lot of excitement!" said a food pantry director.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: North St. Louis faces severe food insecurity, leaving older adults with limited access to fresh produce and safe outdoor spaces. Urban Harvest STL grew over 1,000 pounds of food at Fresh Starts Garden, donating most to programs serving older adults. The team installed accessible raised beds and picnic tables and repaired a generator to help power tools, making gardening easier for those with mobility challenges. Volunteers and apprentices age 50-plus joined in, and the season ended with a celebration of 100 community members. The garden manager said, "Gardening is very rewarding... The garden benefits the whole community because they get to see something positive going on."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
San Diego, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Many residents who live near San Diego's Park de la Cruz rent apartments, which limits their access to outdoor gathering spaces and gardening opportunities. To address this, organizers created a community garden on an overgrown parcel of land in the park. Many residents in Volunteers installed raised garden beds, designed to be accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Additionally, they added seating, a worktable, shade umbrellas and a gazebo to the space. To beautify the garden, and artist painted a mural onsite. The nonprofit also hosted a community planting day, where volunteers planted fruit trees and pollinator-friendly plans and filled the garden beds with vegetables. Since creating the garden, volunteers continue to care for the space. The garden provides produce for local families, as well as ingredients for a weekly cooking program for older adults.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Hialeah, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Pedestrian Safety
Description: Older adults walking near City Hall faced stressful crossings where traffic volume and limited visibility made it difficult to cross safely. For residents who rely on walking or public transportation, these conditions reduced confidence and limited routine trips. The City of Hialeah improved several crosswalks along a key corridor by increasing visibility and clarifying where pedestrians should cross. The work focused on making crossings easier to see and navigate for older adults moving between housing, civic buildings and nearby services. One longtime resident who uses a walker shared that the brighter crosswalks made the street feel less intimidating and safer to manage. The changes helped older adults move more comfortably through the area and continue everyday activities with greater confidence.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Hialeah, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: Recurring guided neighborhood walks will engage residents in observing street conditions and pedestrian safety. These walks will help older adults share feedback and support the development of safer walking routes.
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