AARP Foundation

Did you know that many homeowners and renters may be missing out on property tax relief and rent assistance? Join us next week for a special webinar with AARP Foundation Property Tax-Aide! Learn about their new online tools that help you discover eligibility and connect with the resources you need. We’ll also showcase how Booming Health’s platform can support Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) in reaching those who qualify for assistance. Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 1:30 p.m. EST Sign up now: https://hubs.la/Q02Q74pN0 #AARP #taxrelief #rentassistance

Earlier this year, #SCOTUS issued blockbuster decisions on presidential immunity, gun control, women’s health and more. An intensely divided Court also issued decisions that will likely reshape the administrative state and reset the balance of power between the branches of government, the states and the people. What's next? In our 2024 Supreme Court Preview, we take a deep dive into the cases the Court will hear this fall, from veterans benefits to data security.

We couldn't have said it better! In the article excerpt below, Ichiro Kawachi, professor of social epidemiology at Harvard University, shares his expertise on policies tackling loneliness and social isolation. #ExperienceCorps --------- Q: What are your top two or three policy recommendations to address loneliness and social isolation? A: Strengthen our social infrastructure We could also expand national programs like the AARP [Foundation] Experience Corps program, which encourages retired Americans to volunteer as student tutors in under-resourced schools. The program connects retired people who are at risk for becoming socially isolated with young kids, and it has been shown to be a win-win. On the one hand, it reduces social isolation among retired people and improves their cognitive function. On the other, it helps children improve their reading skills. That’s an intervention that could be broadened to the rest of the country.

The big news out of the U.S. Census Bureau this week was that in a year of strong economic growth and rising household incomes, those living in poverty were left behind. The poverty rate increased from 12.4 to 12.9 percent, taking into account benefits, taxes and expenses. And the age group with the highest rate of poverty was people over 65, at 14.2 percent. We're working to systematically dismantle the barriers that trap older people and their families in poverty and unlock new opportunities. But we can't do it alone. We all have a role we can play in reducing inequality in this country, whether it's confronting bias in hiring as more people need to work longer or offering a livable wage and retirement savings options.

Yesterday on the #NationalDayofService, we came together to celebrate the service of AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, who has done so much to improve the lives of older adults over the past 14 years. As president of AARP Foundation, she brought national attention to the issue of food insecurity. And throughout her leadership of AARP, she has continued to be a fierce advocate for the economic security of all Americans as we age. This is the spirit of service that brought together more than 700 AARP employees to prepare meals for people in our community, in partnership with Capital Area Food Bank and SOME (So Others Might Eat). And this is the spirit of service we will continue to carry forward working for and with older adults.???

AARP Foundation volunteers are the heart and soul of our mission to end poverty for and with older adults. Today, on the #NationalDayOfService, we recognize the importance of service and the extraordinary contributions of our volunteers. Each act of service, no matter how small, contributes to the larger movement to help older adults in need. Ready to join us? Learn more: https://spr.ly/6041WUGMU #Volunteering | #CommunityImpact | #911Day

Nearly 5,000 employees and retirees of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church will see some of their retirement funds restored thanks to a contingent settlement in a lawsuit in which they were represented by AARP Foundation and co-counsel. In 2022, AARP Foundation attorneys originally joined the class action lawsuit to help former and current AME clergy and other employees recover roughly $90 million in retirement funds that were lost due to alleged mismanagement from the fiduciaries and others responsible for the accounts. We are proud to help thousands of retirees get the pension funds they were promised. Learn more: https://spr.ly/6046WYbPQ.

Last week, the African Methodist Episcopal church announced a settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit our legal team joined in 2022 on behalf of more than 5,000 employees and clergy members who lost their retirement savings because of gross financial mishandling. The agreement, pending court approval, provides immediate restoration of some funds and creates a pathway to restore the rest. Church pension plans fall outside federal regulations that protect against fraud or mismanagement. This case puts all employers on notice that they have legal and fiduciary obligations to their employees.?

Good news! AARP Foundation has reached a settlement with the church in our lawsuit to recover retirement funds for nearly 5,000 employees and retirees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The settlement now awaits court approval, and litigation will continue against Newport Group, Symetra, and the remaining defendants. “African Methodist Episcopal Church employees and retirees served their community for years and they deserve the retirement funds they were promised. This agreement is an important step to address the financial harm caused to plan participants by restoring funding of the plan that thousands depend on," says AARP Foundation's William Rivera.

What motivates you to give back to your community? ? We asked 1,300+ AARP Foundation #ExperienceCorps volunteers that question to see what drives them to volunteer in our national reading tutoring program. Read what they shared with us in the latest edition of Volunteer Chronicles. ? #GivingBack | #Volunteering