HOW AARP IS FIGHTING FOR YOU
AARP Takes On Poverty
POVERTY among older Americans is the highest it has been in about 20 years. Roughly 38 million adults over 50 are living in or on the edge of poverty. High inflation has sapped purchasing power, making life more precarious for those already struggling to choose between paying for medicine, food, utilities and housing, or going without.
AARP has been dedicated to building economic security for older adults since our founding more than 60 years ago. As AARP’s charitable affiliate, AARP Foundation is proud to continue that legacy by helping older adults achieve financial security—reducing their food and health care costs, helping them get good jobs, assisting them with obtaining the benefits they’ve earned, and protecting their rights in the courts.
Here’s a look at some of what we do.
→ With food prices up more than 10 percent in a little more than a year, lower-income older adults can access the foundation’s help in enrolling in SNAP (formerly food stamps) to reduce their grocery bills.
→ AARP Foundation also helps eligible seniors enroll in Medicare Savings Programs, which provided much-needed support as inflation pushed up spending on prescription drugs by almost 8 percent in 2021.
→ We help ensure that older adults with low to moderate income receive the tax benefits they’ve earned. Last year, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, our free nationwide tax assistance and preparation program, found almost $375 million in tax refunds and tax credits.
→ Our Back to Work 50+ program provides the know-how needed to land jobs in today’s economy. And our Digital Skills Ready@50+ initiative teaches older adults the foundational digital skills crucial to success in today’s workplace.
→ AARP is also the leading national advocate for Social Security and Medicare, defending the programs that keep many older Americans from slipping into poverty.
By 2030, the number of Americans 50 and over is projected to surpass 132 million, and if current trends continue, more than 42 million will be living in poverty.
As AARP Foundation’s new president, I’m committed to finding innovative solutions that meet the needs of this growing population today so that we can give not only older adults but their families, their communities and generations to come the tomorrow they richly deserve. —Claire Casey became AARP Foundation president in January.
AARP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Chair Annette Franqui, First Vice Chair Beth Ellard, Second Vice Chair Lloyd Johnson, Robert Blancato, Margot James Copeland, Joseph F. Coughlin, Jeffrey D. Dunn, Jo Ann Jenkins, Rosanna A. Márquez, Alan Murray, Julio Portalatin, Marie Quintero-Johnson, Libby Sartain, David Windley