ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

Results tagged “Create the Good” from ShAARP Session

Oct '09 14

Tammy Gordon | 10:44 AM | 0 Comments

We are very excited to announce today that GRAMMY® Award-winning Country star Faith Hill appears in a new public service announcement that encourages Americans to volunteer their time to make America a better place.


Faith's ad, featuring AARP Create The Good is one of the iParticipate series you'll see on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.


Got 30 seconds? Take a look at Faith's ad and let us know what you think and how you like to make a difference. As she says, "There are so many ways to serve. What will you do?"



If you're looking for ideas and inspiration to make a difference on your own time, in your community, on the things you care about, visit AARP's www.createthegood.org to get started.


Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman and Matthew McConaughey are among the performers featured in the PSAs. iParticipate was recently launched in New York's Times Square with Create The Good volunteers. We were joined by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and 15 mayors from around the country, numerous celebrities, including Ashton Kutcher, Tyler Perry, Tim Daly (ABC), Christine Baranski (CBS), Randy Jackson (FOX), Michelle Trachtenberg (NBC), among others, and key service groups to launch the initiative. Check out the pictures and video in Create The Good's Facebook group.

Jul '09 24

Tammy Gordon | 12:57 PM | 0 Comments

When a tragedy occurs, people often come together to grieve and support one another. When the Murray family of Chevy Chase, MD lost both a daughter and mother on June 26, due to an accident caused by a tree branch falling on their minivan, the community responded with acts of full-fledged warmth and sustenance.

After consoling, Sara Knoll, friend of the family's, along with others, set up an online "support system" where more than 400 people have enlisted to offer aid to father, Sean Murray and his five daughters.

The response to the site has been so great that it has ensured that the family's home needs will be met through December 23. The website, Lotsa Helping Hands, makes it simple to reach out to locals in need by creating an online community with a calendar and announcements for organizing.

If you want more ideas on how to help in your community, visit Create the Good's site to find "do it yourself" organizer toolkits to jump-start your plans.

Got a great "do it yourself" way to make a difference in your community? Tell us about it here.

Jun '09 30

Alejandra Owens | 12:43 PM | 0 Comments

Today, the President will be challenging non-profits to think bigger and expand the ways they can make a difference. At AARP, we're accepting that challenge by connecting our members to Create The Good where they can find and post opportunities to serve. In addition, we're growing our library of free, downloadable "do-it-yourself" toolkits that give you all you need to make an impact with your friends, on your time, in your community.

You can watch the President's challenge live at 2:00pm EST at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/ where he will also recognize some great 50+ social entrepreneurs. He will meet with Purpose Prize winners who have finished their midlife careers and come back for their encores, recycling their lifetimes of experience into innovative solutions to community problems.

Recent Purpose Prize winner Robert Chambers will speak. Chambers was 57 when he founded Bonnie CLAC to provide low-income car loans to the rural poor. "I was old enough to understand the injustice I saw and experienced enough to do something about it," says Chambers. "Given the size of our baby boomer population, it's time to figure out how to build on all that experience and use it to solve our nation's most pressing social problems."

Other 50+ Purpose Prize winners invited to the White House are: Gary Maxworthy, who distributes millions of pounds of fresh produce to people in need; Sharon Rohrbach, who provides nurse visits for at-risk newborns; Martha Rollins, who eases prisoner re-entry into the community with job training and support; and Gayle Porter and Marilyn Gaston, who empower African-American women to improve their health.

Visit www.AARP.org/CreateTheGood to find and post opportunities in your state.

Jun '09 24

David Goldstein | 10:16 AM | 0 Comments

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Earlier this week, efforts to ramp up volunteerism and service in this country received a big boost. First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at the National Conference on Service and Volunteering in San Francisco putting these issues in the spotlight. The First Lady discussed to major service initiatives which will be taking place in the near future. On the week of October 19th, several major television networks will be incorporating the theme of service into their shows. In addition, Obama talked about the United We Serve initiative which began on Tuesday and will run until September 11th when it will end with a national day of service. These two events are just some examples of the nationwide effort to increase volunteerism and service through the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. Have you been getting involved in any service recently?

Another way you can get involved in your community is through AARP's very own Create the Good which can help connect you with causes you care about in your own neighborhood.

Apr '09 30

Alejandra Owens | 2:44 PM | 0 Comments

Louisiana_Rebuild_Crew.jpg


em>SPECIAL GUEST BLOG FROM MIMI CASTALDI, AARP
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita had a devastating impact on St. Barnard Parish, LA. All 27,000 homes were uninhabitable after the storm. More than three years later, only one-third of the residents have returned home.

One of my friends suggested we get a group together to help and the next thing you know, seven of us from DC are down in Louisiana this week helping rebuild houses with the St. Bernard's Project. You can sign up right on the web and choose your dates. When we got here they had an orientation and we met volunteers from around the country. There was even another AARP member from Philadelphia who was on her FIFTH trip!

It has been an amazing experience. We heard the story of one of the residents who was stranded on a roof top for six days waiting for help. We saw house after house that still had the markers from when crews in after the storm.

Our group spent the day in a house that is midway through reconstruction. The owner currently lives about 35 minutes away, but he's eager to return to his home, his neighborhood and his family. Crews of volunteers before us stripped the house down to the studs, treated it to get rid of mold, and installed drywall. It was our job to tape and spackle (or mud) the drywall to create a smooth surface. None of us had much experience, but we had a leader from AmeriCorps who patiently showed us what to do, and monitored it to make sure we got it right. By days end I had the hang of it, and felt like I was making a difference.

As a special treat, we were lucky enough to be able to visit a family who had just returned to their home. The family was so happy they cooked us jambalaya for dinner. I told them that somehow that didn't seem fair since they've been living in this harsh reality for years, and we just arrived. She said, just tell your friends what you're doing and that we need their help too.

To get started, visit St. Bernard's Project today.

Mar '09 25

Alejandra Owens | 8:12 AM | 0 Comments

AARP COO Thomas Nelson penned a "Where We Stand" column for Bulletin Today and we wanted to excerpt a bit for you since the Senate's debating the Serve America Act today and expected to vote this week.

"Even as Congress is focusing on financial practices that have badly hurt our economy, the House and Senate are acting on legislation that speaks to what is best about America: a bill to substantially expand opportunities for community and volunteer service...

We've heard a great deal lately about toxic assets. By approving this legislation, Congress and the President can mobilize a very different kind of asset, one found in abundance in every community: the American spirit of service and generosity.

We know from talking to our members and from our survey research that boomers and older Americans stand ready to do more...

AARP urges the Senate to "create the good" by passing national service legislation this week. "

Call your Senators and ask them to support the Serve America Act today. And to find ideas, opportunities and a community of others who want to do more to make a difference, visit www.AARP.org/CreateTheGood.

Mar '09 20

Alejandra Owens | 2:09 PM | 0 Comments

AARP.org has a touching story about a Catalino Tapia, recipient of the $100,000 Purpose Prize, honored for launching a foundation of gardeners like himself that provides school scholarships for low-income Latino students:

Tending the homes of the San Francisco area well-to-do fills Catalino Tapia, 64, with pride. But nothing has made this Mexican immigrant prouder than the day his youngest son, Noel, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley law school in 1999. "I still cry whenever I talk about it," says Tapia, a gardener in Redwood City, California. "I was just pinching myself to be sure it was for real."

But something even bigger happened that day. Tapia, who emigrated 40 years ago with just a sixth-grade education, started thinking of ways to give other Latino students the same opportunity his son had. Now he has another reason to be proud: Tapia received the 2008 $100,000 Purpose Prize in honor of his work launching the Bay Area Gardener's Foundation, which gives scholarships to disadvantaged Latino students.

Read more about Tapia's journey here.

Mar '09 4

Alejandra Owens | 3:30 PM | 0 Comments

Know someone over 60 who is changing the world? They could win $100,000 for their passion. Nominate them for the Purpose Prize.

The Purpose Prize awards up to $100,000 to social innovators over 60 who are creating new ways to solve pressing social issues - from education to health care, poverty to global warming. Winners are finding purpose in an encore career and putting their experience to work for the greater good.

Click Here for stories on past winners and the nomination form.

Good luck!

Jan '09 19

Alejandra Owens | 3:08 PM | 0 Comments

You don't see it at first. The stuff.

You see the river, rimmed with ice, and the sky and the boats at anchor. You see the marshy shoreline, stark in its tangled winter cover in countless hues of brown.

I'd come this morning to the Dyke Marsh area of the Potomac River - directly south of Old Town Alexandria on the George Washington Parkway - to help remove debris from the river's edge.

Not much to do, I thought. I was wrong because you just don't see it at first. At least, I didn't.

But I tromped south with 12 to 15 others. We scattered along the shoreline south of the marina and slowly colors began to emerge. Blues and greens, reds and whites, that didn't belong to nature. Slowly the eye begins to pick out the dull gleam of dirty plastic bottles.

Only then do you begin to realize the sad task confronting us.

Perhaps a hundred people were drawn to this service project. I'm certain many - like me - came to honor the memory of Martin Luther King and to honor the promise of a new President.

The volunteers were of every age. There were parents with their children. Some of the kids young enough to be distracted by the shells cast up by the water. There were mothers with their 20-something daughters, teens and retirees and a Congressional aide (from Rep. Jim Moran's office).

The clean-up was sponsored by the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Friends of Dyke Marsh.

The volunteers were scattered along a mile, perhaps two of the Potomac shoreline. The debris they hauled from the river's edge was impressive.

Trash sacks bulged with water bottles (lots of water bottles), soda bottles and soda cans, beer cans, juice bottles, baby bottles, energy drinks, potato chip sacks, random bits of Styrofoam (it's the worst) and plastic in countless configurations. Volunteers also dredged up several discarded automobile tires.

Spirits were high. It was a good morning - sunny, dry, in the low 30s - and a good cause.

One day won't do, of course. Return next week, next month, and another impressive mound of trash could be hauled away from the river's edge.

All that trash made me angry, sad and determined. All those volunteers made me hopeful. I will be back. I hope you'll join me next time.

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Jan '09 15

Alejandra Owens | 4:38 PM | 0 Comments

Love coffee? Love Starbucks coffee? How does a FREE Starbucks coffee sound to you? We think it sounds pretty darn good, especially at this time of day. (*yawn*)

What's the catch you ask? Well just five hours, really.

On Monday, January 19 - which is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day - hit up your local Starbucks, pledge to do five hours of community service work in 2009 and you get your free cup of Joe.

You can read about it all right here.

What do you think about Starbucks getting into the service action? Will you pledge five hours of the 8,304 hours that will be left in 2009 by MLK day? We are! Visit AARP Create The Good for ideas of what you can do - whether you have 5 minutes or 5 hours.

Jan '09 13

David Goldstein | 3:46 PM | 0 Comments

Our friends at www.USAService.org have teamed up with You Tube to sponsor a video competition. Get out your iPhone or video camera and get shooting - the person who has the best video telling what they plan to do on MLK Day wins a personal call from future First Lady Michelle Obama!

Need ideas on what to do MLK Day, visit Create The Good for more than 200 ways to make a difference!

Now, what would I talk to Michelle Obama about first?

Get the details below and get shooting footage.

Jan '09 12

David Goldstein | 2:21 PM | 1 Comments

President-elect Obama launched a new public service announcement asking Americans to get involved. Looking for ideas on how to get involved, check out AARP Create The Good or visit www.USAService.org. Here in DC on MLK Day, we'll be weatherizing homes with the free tools provided as part of Operation Energy Save. What are you planning on doing?

Jan '09 9

David Goldstein | 3:16 PM | 0 Comments

Colin Powell Announces USAService.org

AARP cover guy and Inspire Award-winner, Gen. Colin Powell who is an honorary co-chair of the Presidential Inauguration, announced "Renew America Together" volunteering initiative launching around MLK Day.

The AP reported:

"I think it will capture the imagination of the American people," Powell said, adding that there was a "fervor" for the new administration that should be tapped.
The goal is to make public service a greater priority throughout American life.
"It's not enough, I think, just to do it one day a year," Powell said.

Check out the new site and photos from the launch. We agree and look forward to "creating some good" with them in the years to come!

Pictures from the Event

Jan '09 9

David Goldstein | 11:33 AM | 0 Comments

This MLK Day, January 19, AARP Create The Good is joining President-elect Obama's call to service. Our hope is that along with the rest of America, you will be able to reignite our nation's spirit of volunteerism and community service. This nation-wide call to service is not simply a one-time involvement but a continued commitment to community service.

Visit the Create The Good site for ideas like helping neighbors save on energy costs and hundreds of others for you to choose from. We know you're busy - that's why some only take five minutes and can be done right from your computer or cell phone! If you have more time, consider organizing a group to help those in your community with the Operation Energy Save toolkit.

There are even organizations like the Case Foundation that are giving away trips to the 2009 Presidential Inauguration just for sharing your story. Tell them about it here and enter to win!

Dec '08 3

Alejandra Owens | 4:42 PM | 0 Comments

Today, six entrepreneurs over age 60 found out that they are 2008 Purpose Prize Winners! One invented a $28 machine to help rural African villagers turn their small peanut farm into a cash crop, another rallied hundreds of volunteers to help Iraqi refugees start new lives in their city, and a third is helping African-American farmers in the South become part of the new "green" economy. The six big winners get $100,000 to continue their efforts - and nine more won $10,000.

Over 1,000 people were nominated for tackling everything from "poverty to pollution, recidivism to racial reconciliation, and health care to homelessness.

Read the inspirational stories here - and join AARP Create the Good Network to get tools and inspiration to make a difference in YOUR community!