St. Johnsbury, VT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: To give residents access to fresh produce, the Vermont Community Garden Network installed garden beds at two affordable housing complexes in St. Johnsbury and Newport. Over several building days, volunteers worked to clear old wood and debris, cut boards to construct the raised beds, fill them with soil and plant garlic bulbs for residents to harvest in the spring. To ensure the crop's success, they also held a demonstration to teach residents how to plant, care for and harvest garlic. In addition to improving residents' physical health through nutritious food, organizers say the gardens will support mental health, too, by combating social isolation. The Network continues to host workshops and provide seeds, tools and other support to gardeners at both housing complexes.

Elk City, OK

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Elk City added nine new table gardens -- designed to accommodate gardeners who use wheelchairs or can't bend easily -- to make its community garden more accessible and appealing to all ages. To accommodate the table gardens, the City laid down gravel. They also added three benches installed on concrete pads. The improvements spurred the City to take on the expense of the garden's water, sewer and electric usage. Since the improvements, the City is exploring the possibility of adding shade structures to shield the benches from the sun, as well as hanging baskets of flowers or vegetables.

Houston, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Community Gardens

Description: Vacant land in Houston offered no space for older adults to grow produce, limiting access to traditional foods and cultural connection. The association began converting the lot into a community garden with raised beds for Southeast Asian vegetables, sparking conversations about caregiving and ways to keep people age 50 and over active. Plans now include adding flower beds, and older adults are sharing crop knowledge with youth. One resident reflected on the importance of projects like this to support older adult populations and caregiving.

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