Annual Report - 2011 Foundation

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LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

MAEONA MENDELSON
Chair of the AARP Foundation Board of Directors

Their lives have been permanently affected
by the Great Recession. They have seen their
retirement funds disappear and the value
of their homes plummet, while the cost of
energy, health care and food continues to
rise. They have seen their unemployment
rate double and their savings dwindle.
Nearly nine million – one out of every 11 –
have skipped meals because they couldn’t
afford to buy food.
Today, one out of eight people in the U.S. is
65+, but by 2030 that number will rise to one
out of five. We cannot afford to wait until
poverty becomes an inescapable way of life
for older people. AARP Foundation is working
to help struggling older Americans get the
opportunity to get back on the path to stability.

We know we face challenges. We have no choice, both as an organization and a country, except to take them on. While we know that cannot happen overnight, we are committed to our long-term goal of erasing poverty among people 50+.

Dear Friends: Right now in America, millions of older people — people 50+ — are living in poverty. On most days, they struggle with finding enough food for themselves and their families, often forced to choose among medications, paying a utility bill or dinner. Many are working several jobs to help make ends meet, and many others are still looking for work. They scramble to survive, desperately seeking a way to get back on track.

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The year 2011 brought AARP Foundation many gifts, but the greatest of these was helping these struggling men and women feel a little more optimistic. With the aid of our dedicated volunteers and staff, we were able to help millions of people 50+ stand tall again.

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AARP Foundation could not have done anything, though, without the support of our donors: individual, institutional and corporate. They heard our message about the plight of millions of older Americans, and they responded with alacrity and generosity.

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Thankfully, many have joined in our fight to help people in the short-term and find solutions in the long-term that will eliminate the specter of hunger, isolation, financial insecurity and unaffordable and unsafe housing for people 50+. AARP Foundation will continue to do its utmost to merit your support and commitment. Our gratitude—and that of the millions of struggling older people we serve—is beyond measure. Thank you.