AARP, Inc., formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a United States-based non-governmental organization and interest group, founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, PhD, a retired educator from California, and based in Washington, D.C. It is a membership organization for people age 50 and over.
AARP operates as a non-profit advocate for its members and as one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the United States. AARP has two affiliated organizations: AARP Services Inc. which is managed wholly for profit, and the AARP Foundation, a charity that operates on a non-profit basis.
AARP Services Inc. offers Medicare supplemental health insurance, discounts on prescription drugs and consumer goods, entertainment and travel packages, long-term care insurance and automobile, home and life insurance. It provides quality control over the products and services made available by AARP-endorsed providers. According to AARP’s 2008 Consolidated financials, it was paid $652,000,000 in royalties from insurance companies that sold products referred by AARP. AARP also received an additional $120,000,000 for the advertisements placed in its publications.
The AARP Foundation’s website says the nonprofit “wants to win back opportunity for those now in crisis, so thousands of vulnerable low-income Americans 50+ can regain their foothold, continue to serve as anchors for their families and communities and ensure that their best life is still within reach.” Key areas of focus are hunger, income, housing and isolation. The Foundation’s vision is “a country that is free of poverty where no older person feels vulnerable.”
As of April 2014, AARP says it has more than 37 million members, making it one of the largest membership organizations in the United States.
The AARP Foundation
The AARP Foundation is AARP’s affiliated charity. Foundation programs provide security, protection and empowerment for older persons in need. Low-income older workers receive the job training and placement they need to re-join the workforce. Free tax preparation is provided for low- and moderate-income individuals, with special attention to those 60 and older. The Foundation’s litigation staff protects the legal rights of older Americans in critical health, long-term care, consumer and employment situations. Additional programs provide information, education, and services to ensure that people over 50 lead lives of independence, dignity, and purpose. Foundation programs are funded by grants, tax-deductible contributions and AARP.
AARP Driver Safety
In 1979, AARP introduced the nation’s first-ever driver safety course geared towards older adults. AARP Driver Safety, which can be completed in a classroom setting or online, teaches defensive driving techniques and provides “added information on age-related cognitive and physical changes that affect driving.” The course is instructed and promoted by volunteers throughout the US. A half-million people completed the courses in 2012.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 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 healthcare, employment security and retirement planning. We advocate for consumers in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services.
A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world’s largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www. aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; and AARP Books. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates.
AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Meet the 22-member volunteer AARP Board of Directors – the governing body of our organization, and the members of our Executive Team to learn more about their backgrounds and leadership responsibilities.
AARP’s commitment to the highest standards of ethical behavior means that we never compromise our integrity for personal gain or to achieve a goal. It means that all of our business decisions and actions take into account the risk to the enterprise. It means we raise our voice if we think something is not right, so that we continue to be worthy of the trust that our members, volunteers, employees and the public place in AARP.
Our Code of Conduct sets forth what AARP expects from all our employees, volunteers, board members and those who do business with us.
Welcome to Gift Planning: AARP Donates to Nonprofit Organizations.
Discover Ways to Give & Save
Gifts to AARP Foundation can take multiple forms and can help you address your personal financial goals and dreams. Do you want to make a significant gift during your lifetime, or would a gift as part of your estate work better? Do you have a particular asset that you are thinking of donating? Do you want to increase your retirement income, or is your primary goal estate preservation? Are you carrying surplus life insurance or a large balance in your retirement plan?
Make a Difference – Donate to AARP Foundation today
Thanks to supporters like you, AARP Foundation helps to overcome the economic challenges that Americans face as we live and age.
AARP Foundation works every day towards achieving a society in which everyone ages with dignity and purpose – and all people can fulfill their goals and dreams. Through its many programs, the foundation provides education, support, and training for seniors in need, whether facing consumer fraud, needing to find a job, or just needing help to balance their checkbook.
Your contribution today can help millions of American seniors each year to improve their quality of life and make sound decisions for themselves and their families.
