Custer, SD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: After flooding destroyed the Custer Community Garden, the Custer Area Economic Development set out to relocate the beloved amenity to a new site. The organization created a new garden at a local high school, installing 16 raised beds, including wheelchair accessible and raised options to accommodate gardeners of all ability levels. Workers laid compost and mulch at the site and installed fencing to keep out foraging wildlife. The school's lunch program now has access to excess produce grown in the garden, which also provides educational programming to the community. Project organizers report that since the improvements, leaders from neighboring communities have reached out for advice for creating their own gardens.

Camp Hill, AL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Camp Hill residents lacked access to fresh produce and safe spaces for exercise, leaving many older adults in a food desert. The foundation responded by building raised beds for a fall garden, installing fencing and creating a one-mile asphalt walking path. Volunteers planted greens that fed more than 200 people and added signage to make the space inviting. The project now serves as a permanent resource for healthy living and sparked plans for composting, marketing produce and adding a hoop house for year-round growing.

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

Lawton, OK

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: This project will create a community garden where Comanche elders can grow vegetables and flowers. Participating gardeners will plan, tend and harvest their plots and distribute their produce to the community.