AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, social welfare organization with a membership of more than 37 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families—such as health care, employment security and retirement planning. AARP was founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired educator from California. AARP has offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. AARP is governed by a 21-member, all-volunteer Board of Directors.
Who We Are
For more than 50 years, AARP has been serving our members and society by creating positive social change. AARP’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all as we age, leading positive social change and delivering value to all people 50+ and to society through advocacy, service and information. The principles of collective purpose, collective voice, and collective purchasing power guide our efforts. AARP works tirelessly to fulfill the vision of a society in which everyone lives their best life with dignity and purpose, and in which people can 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.
AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.
How We Are Organized
AARP is comprised of distinct legal entities that speak with one voice, all united by a common motto: “To serve, not to be served.” Complementing AARP, the parent organization, are the following:
AARP Foundation: AARP Foundation is AARP’s largest affiliated charity. AARP Foundation works to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the issues they face today: housing, hunger, income, and isolation. By coordinating responses to these issues on all four fronts at once, and supporting them with vigorous legal advocacy, the Foundation serves the unique needs of those 50+ in cooperation with local organizations nationwide. Experience Corps is one of several high-impact programs operated by the foundation designed to improve the lives of older adults and the communities in which they live.
Legal Counsel for the Elderly: AARP affiliated charity Legal Counsel for the Elderly is a nonprofit organization that champions the dignity and rights of seniors in Washington, D.C.
AARP Services, Inc.: AARP Services, Inc. is a wholly owned taxable subsidiary of AARP that 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.
What We Do
Advocacy: AARP is a strong, nonpartisan advocate for social change that fights on issues that matter to people 50+ and society. We work on important issues, such as:
- Leading efforts to strengthen Social Security and promote other retirement savings efforts to help everyone achieve lifetime financial security;
- Promoting adequate, affordable health care, including prescription drugs and long-term care; and
- Fostering communities with affordable and appropriate housing, supportive community features and driver safety and mobility options.
Community Service: AARP members form a powerful community that works toward the betterment of society. These efforts include:
- Caregiving Resource Center, a major initiative to make resources available to people who provide unpaid care to family members and friends.
- Create the Good®, which connects people to service opportunities based on their time, interests, community or skills, in part through an online tool.
- Driver Safety, a volunteer-led program, which helps a half-million drivers learn safety strategies each year.
Publications and Information: Members imagine and shape better lives with information and inspiration from AARP’s publications and multimedia offerings. We produce AARP The Magazine, the world’s largest-circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for the 50+ audience; an award-winning website, www.aarp.org; AARP television and radio programming; AARP Books; and AARP en Española, a bilingual news source.
Research: AARP conducts forward-looking research on topics that matter to our members. Our Public Policy Institute publishes major reports on economic security, health care and livable communities, among other issues.
Global Reach: AARP is a leader in working internationally with governmental and nongovernmental organizations. AARP’s international initiatives foster exchanges of ideas and seek innovative ways 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 50+ Americans. Benefits made available to members include health, long-term care, automobile, homeowners and life insurance; travel and leisure offerings; technology services; a credit card; pharmacy services; and legal referral services. AARP Services performs quality control services over branded products.
Our Founder and Motto: “To Serve, Not to be Served.”
Ethel Percy Andrus was born in San Francisco in 1884 but spent most of her childhood in Chicago. After earning a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from the University of Chicago, she began teaching. At night, she conducted classes for residents of two pioneering settlement houses—Hull House and Chicago Commons.
After her family returned to California, Andrus taught in Los Angeles at Santa Paula High School and Manual Arts High School. In 1916, she moved to East Los Angeles High School and soon was appointed principal—making her, at age 32, California’s first female high school principal.
After many years in education, Dr. Andrus turned her attention to the needs of people in the second half of their lives. She volunteered time with the California Retired Teachers Association and its committee for retired teachers’ welfare. Shocked to learn that so many retired educators had no health insurance and inadequate pensions, Dr. Andrus founded the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) in 1947 to give them a national voice.
Until Medicare was created in 1965, there was no national program of health care for people over age 65. Even after dozens of insurance companies turned down her pleas to offer group health insurance to retired educators, she persisted until a company agreed to develop a health plan for NRTA members. The offering became so popular that non-educators sought to purchase it. Dr. Andrus established AARP (then known as the American Association of Retired Persons), in 1958 to meet their needs.
Throughout her life and career, Dr. Andrus sought to foster stronger ties between the generations and encouraged all to view aging as an achievement to be celebrated.
Dr. Andrus, who died in July 1967, lived her life by the motto, “To serve, not to be served,” which remains AARP’s motto today. She founded AARP on the principles of collective purpose, collective voice and collective purchasing power. Nearly 50 years later, AARP still champions these principles in a world that is rapidly changing—all in the spirit of its spirited founder, Ethel Percy Andrus.
AARP’s Philosophy on Volunteerism
We at AARP believe:
- That volunteer service is a unique and valuable contribution which benefits both the volunteer and society.
- That AARP volunteers, working in partnership with AARP staff and community colleagues, are a necessary and vital force in achieving the Association’s vision, mission, and strategic goals.
- That volunteers contribute to the Association’s goal of attracting, developing, and maintaining the diversity of people and programs which reflect our communities and their needs.
- That it is crucial to match the skills, abilities, interest and availability of volunteers to the tasks and opportunities that advance the Association goals.
- That volunteering for AARP is one of many paths by which members can become connected, involved and engaged with their Association.
- That a strong commitment to supporting and recognizing volunteers is essential in helping them reach their potential for service.
About AARP Foundation