AARP Grant to expand Plot access for Seniors

We’ve Been Selected as a 2026 AARP Community Challenge Grantee!

Flowers Feed Folks is thrilled to announce that we have been selected to receive a 2026 AARP Community Challenge grant. This year, only 750 grantees were chosen from 5,100 applications from across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

With this quick-action grant, we will be able to add tools and infrastructure at our gardens that make gardening easier for folks whose bodies do not bend, lift, or get up and down from the ground as easily as they used to. Watch for the availability of arthritis-friendly/low-grip-strength tools, garden pull carts, and riding carts at our garden locations this summer. We will also be hosting "Gardening is Grand" times in the plots where multi-generational gatherings can enable experienced gardeners to share their knowledge, even if their bodies are not as strong as they used to be.

. This project will advance our efforts to make Kokomo and Howard County a place where people of all ages can thrive. “We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Flowers Feed Folks for this investment to help make Kokomo and Howard County more livable for residents of all ages,” stated Annie Lightsey, a co-founder of the organization. “AARP is a national leader in supporting communities to become more livable, and we are honored they recognize the value and impact this project will bring to our area.”

About the AARP Community Challenge: The AARP Community Challenge grant program supports projects that improve public places, housing, transportation, digital connectivity, disaster resilience, and more. In 2026, Toyota Motor North America is funding pedestrian safety projects that aim to enhance streets and sidewalks nationwide. Microsoft is supporting digital connection projects aimed at expanding access to and adoption of high-speed internet (broadband). These grants are part of AARP’s broader Livable Communities initiative, which helps neighborhoods, towns, cities, and counties across the country become great places for people of all ages. AARP believes communities should offer: • Safe, walkable streets • Affordable and accessible housing and transportation options • Access to essential services • Opportunities for residents to engage and participate fully in community life.

To explore all 750 projects funded this year – or to view an interactive map of current and past Community Challenge projects – visit AARP.org/CommunityChallenge.

Learn more about AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities work at AARP.org/Livable.