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Village of Rye Brook (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
This project will create a community garden at a local senior center. The space will allow volunteer gardeners to grow fresh produce to distribute to older adults in need.
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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Rolette County, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Project organizers planted fruit trees and native plants, enhancing a new garden on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa powwow grounds. The community gardening space featured turtle-shaped pots, which hold flowers and plants -- such as sweet grass and silver sage -- needed for traditional medicines. The Committee hopes fruit from the trees will feed community members and visitors to the annual Powwow celebration. Additionally, the popularity of the turtle-themed planters inspired a fundraising idea. Powwow organizers plan to create similar planters to sell in the future, with proceeds going toward running the Powwow.
Vernon, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: This project will create a community garden at a senior center. Gardeners will grow fresh vegetables and herbs to supply the center's breakfast and lunch programs.
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: North Lawndale, whose population is 70 African American and 50 aged over 55 years, is one of 22 Chicago community areas with neither a grocery store nor supermarket. To combat food insecurity there, Jesus Word Center converted a vacant lot into a community garden. Project organizers purchased gardening tools, compost and vegetable seeds for local volunteers, most of whom are older adults. The improvements allowed gardeners to grow vegetables, fruit and herbs and the Jesus Word Center planned health and wellness workshops onsite. In the future, organizers hope to introduce a farmers market in the area as well, with the goal of improving health outcomes in the majority-Black community.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Stamford, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: To make Fairgate Farm more accessible for people of all ages and abilities, project organizers extended an existing ADA-compliant crushed stone walkway leading from the farm's entrance to its market. They also made gathering at the farm more comfortable by installing picnic tables, benches, a bike rack and raised gardening beds. The urban garden and community gathering space on Stamford's West Side hosts programming for community members, from cooking demos to gardening workshops and cooking classes. Fairgate Farm attracts volunteers from across the community, who grow and distribute more than 5,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables each year. The produce is then donated to low-income volunteers, their families and local hunger relief charities.
Glen Cove, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Transportation Other
Description: As transit systems moved schedules, fares and maps online, many older adults in Glen Cove struggled to use buses and trains without digital skills. Age-Friendly Glen Cove addressed that barrier through hands-on workshops that paired transit app training with real trips on local buses and rail. Older adults received one-on-one help from trained volunteers, including youth tutors, and practiced planning routes and paying fares in real time. One couple said learning the app gave them confidence to travel together by train for the first time in years. By combining digital training with practical experience and local advocacy, the project expanded mobility options and helped residents stay connected to daily activities and community life.
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