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Project GRACE (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Older adults in Scarborough face challenges staying active and managing heating costs on fixed incomes. Project GRACE expanded three community gardens, adding 15 new beds and growing over 800 pounds of produce for local food pantries. It also hosted a "Snug It Up" workshop for 75 older adults, offering weatherization tips, free DIY supplies and emergency fuel assistance for dozens of households. The gardens fostered social engagement and healthy eating, while the workshop helped residents prepare for winter. "I applaud the essential work... that helps our community to stay comfortably warm and snugged up this winter," one attendee wrote.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Atlanta, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Using donated recycled and salvaged lumber, the Lifecycle Building Center built 14 Little Free Pantries and 10 garden beds. The Center used the fabrication work to demonstrate how the construction industry can help strengthen communities by prioritizing the reuse of materials. Mounted at chest height for easy access and placed in public areas, the pantries allow community members experiencing food insecurity to collect items as needed. Local nonprofit Friends of Refugees stocked the pantries with 1,000 pounds of food. The raised-bed planters went to the homes of refugee gardeners.
Richmond, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The Greater Richmond Age Wave Coalition hoped to beautify the Green Park neighborhood and foster relationships between neighbors. To do this, the nonprofit worked to provide community gardening opportunities to residents. To allow older adults to grow produce at home, the nonprofit built 25 garden boxes. Additionally, they created an outdoor courtyard space with raised garden beds at Highland Park Apartments. The Coalition hired local youth to construct and deliver the self-water boxes. The Coalition also held two community gardening events. To help people participate, they offset a portion of public transportation fares for attendees. The Age Wave Coalition's gardening efforts operate under the talent-sharing model, which connects experienced gardeners with people interested learning more about growing fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs.
Stoneham, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The Boys Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield built an intergenerational community garden where older adults can mentor children from the clubs. They installed four garden beds, a rain barrel and a compost bin. They also provided to tools, soil, seeds and other supplies for use in the garden. Today, the Boys Girls Clubs hosts intergenerational programming at the garden, which allows older adults to teach children the value of gardening as a healthy outdoor activity.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
South Portland, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Trails
Description: The Greenbelt Trail, which serves pedestrians and cyclists, crosses several busy streets in South Portland. To make those crossings safer, Age-Friendly South Portland conducted a monthlong tactical urbanism project. They painted road delineators to separate cyclists from traffic, along with high-visibility signage to alert drivers to the crossings. Curb bump-outs decreased the distance needed for trail users to cross the street. While the fixtures were temporary, organizers gathered feedback from residents during the demonstration, which they featured in a presentation to the public works department. Project organizers report the project spurred the City to make permanent changes to one crossing.
South Portland, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: The Green Belt Trail use surged, but speeding bikes and unclear crossings made the trail risky for older walkers. The project installed dynamic speed signs to slow cyclists, and added high-visibility crosswalk signage and temporary traffic-calming measures. It also distributed reflective gear at a local resource fair. Trail users stated that cars notice the crosswalks now and are more likely to stop, and that the pedestrian experience is now far more enjoyable.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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