About AARP

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families—with a focus on health security, financial stability, and personal fulfillment. We also work for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen products and services to carry the AARP name.

AARP was founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired educator from California. For 60 years, we have been serving our members and society as a whole by creating positive social change through advocacy, service and information. The drive, innovation and com passion of our founder continue to inspire our work as we dedicate ourselves to im proving lives, standing up to injustice and transform ing the marketplace.

The principles of collective purpose, collective voice and collective purchasing power guide AARP’s efforts. We work tirelessly to fulfill the vision of a society in which all people live with dignity and purpose, and fulfill their goals and dreams.

Members of AARP span four generations and reflect a wide range of attitudes, cultures and lifestyles. Approximately one-third of AARP members work full or part time, while most of the remainder are retired (including career educators affiliated with NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community).

AARP is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.

AARP is comprised of distinct legal entities united by a common motto: “To serve, not to be served.” Complementing AARP, the parent organization, are the following:

AARP Foundation, AARP’s charitable affiliate, works to end senior poverty by helping vulnerable older adults build economic opportunity and social connectedness. AARP Foundation serves AARP members and nonmembers alike. Bolstered by vigorous legal advocacy, we spark bold, innovative solutions that foster resilience, strengthen com m unities and restore hope.

Legal Counsel for the Elderly, AARP’s second affiliated charity, is a nonprofit organization that champions the dignity and rights of seniors in Washington, D.C.

AARP Services, Inc. is a wholly owned taxable subsidiary of AARP. AARP Services manages provider relationships for, and performs quality control oversight of, the wide range of products and services that carry the AARP name and are made available by independent providers as benefits to AARP members.

Advocacy—AARP’s social-impact work is at the heart of all we do. As a strong, nonpartisan advocate for social change at the local, state and national levels, AARP fights for issues that matter to people 50-plus, their families and society, such as:

• Helping experienced workers and job seekers, and fighting age discrimination in the workplace.
• Promoting the passage of family caregiver-support bills to help more people live independently at home.
• Leading efforts to update Social Security and promote other retirement savings efforts to help everyone achieve life-long financial security.
• Promoting adequate, affordable health care, including prescription drugs and long-term care.
• Fostering livable communities with affordable and appropriate housing, supportive community features and mobility options.

Community Service—“Our community is the place where we can be most effective,” our founder wrote more than 50 years ago. Today’s community efforts include:

• AARP Family Caregiving, which supports people who provide unpaid care to family members and other loved ones with local and online resources.
• Driver Safety, a volunteer-led  program, which helps 500,000 drivers learn safe-driving practices each year.
• Create The Good ®, which connects people to volunteer opportunities based on their life experiences, interests, skills, and schedule, through an online tool found at CreateTheGood.org.
• Local events, informative workshops and opportunities to connect.

Trusted Information—Members imagine and shape better lives with information and inspiration from  AARP’s publications and multimedia  offerings. As a trusted source for news and  information, we produce AARP The Magazine, the nation’s largest-circulation and most-read magazine; AARP Bulletin, the definitive news source for members; an award-winning website, www.aarp.org; AARP television and radio programming; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish language website addressing the needs and interests of Hispanics.

Research—AARP conducts research on topics that matter to our members; provides insights and analysis on the motivations, needs,  interests and behaviors of people 50-plus to support our social impact and advocacy work; and supports states’ implementation of our strategic  priorities in advocacy, service, and information. The AARP Public Policy Institute publishes reports on people’s shared needs for financial security, health care and quality of life as they age.

Global Reach—AARP is a global thought leader on aging. We work internationally with governmental and nongovernmental organizations to foster exchanges of ideas, challenge outdated beliefs and stereotypes, and spark new solutions to address the opportunities and challenges of aging.

Member Benefits—We lead the way in the marketplace by influencing companies to offer new and better choices for our members and all Americans 50-plus. AARP members get access to carefully chosen benefits, from  third-party companies, designed to enrich their lives every day, including AARP-branded health, long-term care, automobile, homeowners and life insurance products; as well as travel and leisure discounts and offerings; technology services; pharmacy services; a branded credit card; and everyday savings.