Margaret Sigman

Times can be hard and many North Carolinians are challenged by affordable housing, rising property and utility costs and more. AARP, your wise friend and fierce defender, has compiled a handy list of housing assistance programs. With winter coming, let us help you find resources that can help you reduce your stress without compromising your health or safety,

ASHEVILLE, NC — Housing is an urgent priority for the Asheville region, especially since Tropical Storm Helene. According to FEMA, 1000 North Carolina homes were destroyed by the storm and 73,000 were damaged.

Residents of North Carolina have to be ready for all kinds of disasters––hurricanes, wildfires, floods––and their attendant woes, including prolonged power outages. You’ll want to pack a to-go bag before a disaster, not in the middle of one. Consider these items and add more for your own situation.

Celebrate Social Security's success

When AARP volunteer Anita Harrison does a walk audit in a community, she keeps a sharp eye out for crosswalks and traffic signals, or the lack of them.

CLYDE, NC — When Hurricane Helene tore through his hometown of Clyde, in rural western North Carolina, Air Force veteran Tim Gudridge was sheltering in place with his family and dogs. He had no power or internet for two weeks and became an expert on his grill.

When Tropical Storm Helene slammed into western North Carolina, AARP volunteer leaders and staff all across the state were anxious to help. Many ideas were proposed, but it was a single photograph in the Citizen Times of the devastation of a veterans housing site in Swannanoa, one of the hardest hit towns, that spoke most powerfully of the tremendous need in the Mountain Region.

For Veterans and Military Families

HENDERSONVILLE, NC — By 2030, one-in every-five people in the U.S. will be 65 or older. In just a few short years, there will be more North Carolinians ages 65 and older than those under age 18.

Black History Month celebrates the significant impact that Black individuals and communities have had on America's history, culture, and progress. AARP is sponsoring or participating in a number of free events throughout North Carolina during February, listed here in chronological order.