2016 in Philadelphia

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Throughout 2016, AARP Pennsylvania - with our local volunteers and community partners - has helped people right here in Philadelphia turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthened communities and fought for the issues that matter most to families. By working together we've done some amazing things that are making a real difference for Philadelphia's 50+ community.

With the help of our local volunteers in the Philadelphia area, AARP Pennsylvania has:

• Convened the first-ever Livable Communities Network, a coalition of collaborative partners and local advocates who are working to make Philadelphia and surrounding communities more livable for all as we age. The Livable Communities Network focused on the areas of accessible and affordable housing, transportation, and civic engagement to improve community life in Philadelphia.
• Hosted a panel discussion to address the challenges and opportunities faced in creating an accessible, reliable, and efficient transportation system in Philadelphia. Guest speakers at this AARP-sponsored event included SEPTA, Uber Pennsylvania, Indego, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, West Chester University, the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, and the City’s Department of Aging.
• Conducted our first-ever Shred Fest in Montgomery County. To help prevent fraud and identity theft, AARP Pennsylvania shredded 25,000 pounds of paper containing personal and sensitive information at our free Shred Fest event. We invited people to sign up for the AARP Fraud Watch Network, which provides information and resources so you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud.
• Connected with community members at several large-scale events, including the Philadelphia Horticultural Society (PHS) Flower Show, the PA Conference for Women, and the Yi Shi Chinatown Night Market to discuss important issues like fraud prevention, financial security, retirement readiness, and living your best life.
• Partnered with the Black Professional Network at several events throughout the year to reach out to listen and learn about the issues impacting the community, and identify ways that AARP can be a resource.
• Celebrated with the LGBT+ community at PrideFest and Outfest, where we connected with hundreds of people that visited our booth for a fun and interactive experience. Additionally, AARP Pennsylvania has been working with organizations such as the William Way LGBT Community Center and the LGBT Elder Initiative, to serve as a resource for the LGBT+ community on caregiving, livable communities, fraud prevention, and many other issues.
• AARP was honored to receive the 2016 Gran Amigo Award as recognition for our “outstanding work in recent years in the Latino community in Philadelphia and across the region.” Hosted by Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latinos Foundation, Impacto Latin Newspaper, and PHLDiversity, the annual Most Influential Leaders Awards Ceremony recognizes the 50 most influential Latinos from across the Philadelphia region. AARP Pennsylvania has been working closely with several collaborative partners serving the Latino community to understand what issues are most important to them, what challenges the community faces, and what opportunities and resources are available.

Wow! What an exciting and busy year we’ve had. In 2017 we look forward to continued work fighting fraud, as well as keeping a clear focus on caregiving.  We will continue our work on local issues important to the 50+ community, such as consumer protection, livable communities, retirement security, and state and federal advocacy issues as well.

I want to wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday and a happy new year!

Garloff, Leah

Best Wishes,

Yocasta Lora

Associate State Director

Community Outreach

AARP Pennsylvania