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Seaford Community Garden (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
The project tackled the need for a more inclusive garden space and waived seasonal fees for local veterans to encourage participation. Grant funds added shaded seating, reading areas, accessible tools and a drip irrigation system that streamlined watering and improved efficiency. A permanent Little Free Library now invites neighbors to linger and connect, while the irrigation upgrade saves volunteers hours of work and sets the stage for new gardens that will supply fresh produce to local pantries and shelters.
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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Lawrence, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Residents in an affordable housing community faced food insecurity and limited access to gardening. Home Works USA improved its garden by adding raised beds for accessibility, installing fencing to deter deer and hosting a free indoor farmers market for older adults and neighbors. Volunteers of all ages worked together, sharing skills and building relationships. The upgrades created a safer, more inviting space for intergenerational gardening and fresh food distribution. One volunteer commented that he and others were excited to finally get back to gardening again.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Kansas City, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: An underused community garden in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood limited access to fresh produce and social connection, especially for older adults. The association revitalized the space by rehabbing raised beds, restoring sheds and adding pollinator plants. It also hosted cleanup, games and planting events to draw neighbors together. New signage made the garden more inclusive, and a fall harvest festival boosted engagement. The garden now fosters intergenerational activity and reduces isolation, with plans for seasonal programs and volunteer partnerships. One older neighbor, intrigued by the improvements, said he was eager to use a raised bed despite his limited mobility.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Hudson, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Nashua has a large migrant population from Zambia, Burundi and Honduras, many of were farmers in their native counties. The ReGeerative Roots Association hoped to give them the opportunity to use their skills in their new home. The organization's ReGen Roots program, which provides free community garden plots to immigrant families. To give more families the opportunity to grow culturally familiar foods, this project expanded the garden's footprint by two acres. Participants can sell any extra produce, supplementing their household income. Additionally, community garden members donate ten percent of their peak harvest to two nonprofits that combat food insecurity in Nashua.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Seaford, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Residents lacked a shared space to grow food and connect socially, and older adults faced barriers to gardening. The project added large beds for families, a wraparound bench for gathering and braille signage to make the garden accessible. Volunteers hosted monthly classes and provided shared tools, while soaker hoses ensured easier watering for older gardeners. These changes created a welcoming space where neighbors meet and older adults garden comfortably. A blind child exploring the Veterans Garden with braille signs showed how the project fosters inclusion and intergenerational connection.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Georgetown, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public spaces improvements to increase high-speed internet availability
Description: Older adults in Georgetown needed digital literacy skills to manage daily tasks and stay connected, a gap widened by the pandemic. The library converted a storage space into a computer lab and offered classes in English and Spanish, teaching email, internet basics and office software. More than 40 certificates were awarded, and participants often practiced outside class, boosting library use. Graduates reported confidence in using technology for work and personal needs. One participant said she was grateful for the experience, showing how the program opened doors for older adults and strengthened community ties.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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