AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, social welfare organization with a membership of nearly 38 million. Our aim is to disrupt preconceived notions about aging, turn goals and dreams into Real Possibilities, strengthen communities and fight for the issues that matter most to people 50-plus and their families; such as health care, employment security and retirement planning.
To deliver on our promise to our members and on our ambitious social agenda, AARP relies on a diverse, skilled, highly motivated and committed workforce. With offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, we live where we work.
AARP tackles the issues that matter most to our members, their families and their communities — and some of what we do might surprise you. The motivating force behind AARP and our affiliates’ work is captured best in these words: We fight for and equip each individual to live their best life.
Advocacy
The Community, State and National Affairs (CSN) team helps drive AARP’s mission of social change by giving our members a voice at the federal, state and local levels on the issues that matter most to Americans 50-plus and their families, such as health care security, financial security and personal fulfillment. AARP directly engages people in our communities to find out what they need and want, enabling us to educate our members with programs and information that is relevant to them. State offices work closely with AARP’s National Office in Washington, D.C. This reach — from community to state to federal — enables CSN to better empower the 50-plus to enjoy the way they live and work today, while reaching their future goals.
Research
Through forward-looking research and practical solutions, AARP fosters debate to make a positive difference. Policy, Research and International Affairs (PRI) serves AARP by leading the development and distribution of AARP’s public policies. PRI solicits policy input, convenes thought-leaders both domestically and abroad, and informs and stimulates the public debate on the issues we face as we age. These policies serve as the foundation for AARP’s state and national advocacy efforts. They drive engagement on global aging policy and trends, and strengthen AARP’s reputation for world class expertise and thought leadership.
Trustworthy Information
From home-delivered publications to digital platforms, AARP makes available trustworthy news, entertainment and insights tailored to people 50-plus. People can reimagine and shape better lives with information and inspiration from AARP’s publications and multimedia offerings including AARP The Magazine, the nation’s largest-circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for the 50-plus audience; aarp.org website; AARP television and radio programming; AARP Books; and AARP en Espaňol, a bilingual news source.
AARP Affiliates
AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation is our largest affiliated charity. It works to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50-plus by being a force for change on the issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation.
AARP Services, Inc.
A wholly-owned taxable subsidiary of AARP, AARP Services, Inc., 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 and others.
Legal Counsel for the Elderly
Legal Counsel for the Elderly is a nonprofit charitable affiliate of AARP that champions the dignity and rights of seniors in Washington, D.C., through free legal and social work services.
Wish of a Lifetime
Wish of a Lifetime from AARP grants wishes to people 65 and older in recognition of their special accomplishments, contributions and sacrifices. As one of AARP’s charitable affiliates, Wish of a Lifetime helps people achieve long held goals while also combatting the negative effects of isolation and strengthening social ties and intergenerational connections. Connecting wish recipients with the people and passions that are important to them is central to the organization’s work.
Older Adults Technology Service
Older Adults Technology Services from AARP is a charitable affiliate that advocates for technology inclusion and provides digital literacy training and programming to older adults. Together, AARP and OATS hope to help millions of older adults nationwide embrace personal technology in ways that help them live their best lives.
AARP Awards
For the fourth consecutive year, the Washington Post has named AARP a Top Workplace. Being named a Top Workplace is especially meaningful because the award is based solely on feedback offered by our employees. Life at AARP is built around the organization’s purpose of empowering people to choose how they live as they age. Our employees have an unparalleled ability to make a positive difference for not only our members but people over 50 all around the country. From day one, you will have unique opportunities to use your talents and be inspired knowing you’re improving real people’s lives. Our forward-thinking, collaborative, innovative work culture will help you grow in your job and discover new career possibilities you may not even know exist.
Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, announced AARP as one of the 2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies. AARP is honored to be one of the few nonprofit organizations to be recognized among so many prestigious global public companies. We’re proud to be recognized by Ethisphere for the third year in a row. “Our commitment to ethics is at the core of our work at AARP,” said CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, “even more important as we navigate the challenges and uncertainties of the pandemic. Our ethics are a cornerstone of our advocacy on behalf of our nearly 38 million members and all people age 50 and over.”
AARP is honored to be recognized as a winner of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Baldrige is a presidential-level honor, recognizing exemplary U.S. organizations and businesses that have shown an unceasing drive for innovative solutions, visionary leadership and operational excellence. AARP is a 2020 award winner in the nonprofit category. “The Baldrige Award is only made possible by the dedication and hard work of our staff, volunteers, and Board, all of whom are committed to excellence in everything we do,” said AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, who has led the organization since 2014 and became a Baldrige Executive Fellow in 2012. “Winning this award during the coronavirus pandemic is significant: our work has never been more important, so to be recognized for performance excellence at this crucial moment is more heartening still. The Baldrige Criteria have been invaluable as we’ve worked to secure actionable feedback that, in turn, has allowed AARP to excel at living up to its vital mission.”
AARP has been named one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators for its forward thinking in re-imagining the lives of older Americans. People around the world are living longer, healthier lives. So it’s no surprise that the ways older Americans live, retire and enjoy their later years is changing. AARP has transformed in recent years to keep up with those changes, pivoting to become a future-focused nonprofit that helps its 38 million members — and all people 50 or older — re-imagine their lives. AARP has expanded its reach, building a nationwide presence in every state to help handle a wider range of aging-related issues. One of its key initiatives is the AARP Innovation Lab. Members of this team discover some of the best and brightest start-ups through accelerators and pitch competitions and employ design thinking to promote healthy aging, support caregivers, and help older Americans build financial resilience and combat social isolation.
AARP’s IT department has been recognized as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in IT by IDG’s Computerworld for the fourth consecutive year. Computerworld gives the award to organizations that challenge their IT staff, while providing great benefits and competitive compensation, and ample opportunities for growth. In 2019, AARP ranked number two among midsize organizations and has doubled the number of the IT team’s professional certifications and delivered special courses for technology leaders. We focus on building new competencies such as data-driven decision making and design thinking to continue to drive the business.
