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Powder River Basin Resource Council (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Several years ago, the Powder River Basin Resource Council created a food forest -- a space that gives the community access to fresh produce, including fruit, berries and vegetables. However, the space lacked accessibility features, making it difficult for older adults and people with mobility challenges to visit. To make the food forest more inviting, the council asked a local craftsman to design benches, which give people a place to pause and relax as they walk through the gardens. They also installed solar lighting, which allows visitors to use the forest after dark. Plans to expand the food forest are now underway. The council is working with an elder from the Northern Cheyenne community to create a Native food garden onsite.
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See More Projects Like This One
Dixon, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Webster County Senior Center has delivered meals to homebound older adults for years. But the center has never fully used its large outdoor greenspace and patio. To make the space more appealing, the center created an outdoor seating area with benches, tables and games, which allow visitors to dine outdoors and make social connections. Today, residents use the space for bingo and board games between meals, and the patio hosts community events.
Hinton, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Hinton's historic district was created in the 1980s, but public interest for the district had waned over the years. To foster community pride and educate residents, the local Historic Landmarks Commission purchased and installed plaques on significant buildings in Hinton's historic district. The plaques provide information about the significance of each location. To further draw people in, the commission established a walking tour, which it promoted online and by printing and distributing brochures. Because tourism is an important local economic driver, so the commission has coordinated with the local visitors center to promote the tour.
Dixon, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To draw visitors to a park on the grounds of Dixon's local library, the Embudo Valley Library and Community Center installed picnic tables and benches at the site. In 2019, the library distributed a survey and hosted focus groups with residents to determine the community's needs, with seating emerging as a top priority. The community center commissioned local artists and craftspeople to create the tables and benches, which are ADA-compliant. One of the tables is located in the library's fruit orchard, near a traditional irrigation ditch known as an acequia. Project organizers say they chose the location to honor the community's cultural heritage. In the future, Center staff envision putting the benches and tables to use during local events, including the annual Fiesta de Santa Rosa.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Sheridan, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Heritage Towers set out to give older adults a place to grow fresh food and spend time outside, addressing the lack of accessible spaces for residents with limited income and mobility. The team built raised beds, added sturdy outdoor seating and organized planting events that helped tenants grow vegetables, herbs and flowers. The harvest supported shared meals that brought people together and encouraged more time on the patio. Tenants said the garden reminded them of growing food when they were younger, and many began volunteering to start seeds for next year. The project prompted more outdoor activity, strengthened social ties and laid the groundwork for a lasting source of fresh produce and connection for residents.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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.
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