East Providence, RI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Older adults identified limited access to affordable, healthy food as an ongoing challenge, driven by transportation barriers and high rates of nutrition-related chronic illness. East Bay Community Action Program responded by creating an accessible community garden at the local Senior Center, where older adults helped shape what was grown and how the space was used. The project paired gardening with hands-on cooking demonstrations and a shared meal that used garden produce and prepared dishes. One participant wrote that they had started eating better and adding more vegetables to their diet. The garden also strengthened ties with schools and youth programs, supporting continued intergenerational involvement and establishing a lasting space for food access, learning and social connection.

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

Sacramento, CA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: ACC addressed the lack of an accessible outdoor space where older adults could garden and connect. New raised beds, benches, irrigation and a decomposed granite walkway made it possible for people with mobility or vision limitations to participate fully. Volunteers of all ages helped build the space, creating a sense of shared purpose. Older adults said the improvements let them garden up close again and enjoy time outside with others. The project strengthened social ties, increased daily engagement and established a long-term gathering place that will support health, learning and connection for years to come.

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

Boston, MA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Wakullah Street Community Garden worked to remove access barriers that limited older adults from fully using a long-standing neighborhood garden. Uneven paths, limited seating and low lighting reduced safety and shortened visits, making it harder to gather and garden. The project cleared and reoriented pathways toward shared seating areas, added lighting and prepared the site for benches, internet access and a greenhouse. Older adults volunteered alongside neighbors to shape the upgrades and plan how the space should function. Early improvements increased participation and time spent in the garden, while planned additions position the space for longer hours and resident-led activities. The work supports safer access, stronger social connection and continued use of the garden as a shared community space.

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