AARP Life@50+ Gives Back Volunteer Activity

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donating time as a volunteer- chop vegetables in a soup kitchen

— Photo by: Foodcollection/Getty Images

Life@50+ Gives Back
Volunteer Activity

Mission Kitchens

Every year, AARP hosts our Life@50+ National Event and Expo in a different city. The impact of our event is substantial for the host city with attendees spending significantly at local hotels, restaurants, attractions and other businesses. In 2011, Life@50+ wanted to broaden that impact by volunteering time and resources to areas of the host city that aren’t always visible to our event attendees.

See the Results

Watch what happened.

Thanks to all the volunteers who made this a successful and rewarding experience for all.

On Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011, the day before the official start of the 2011 Life@50+ event, AARP volunteers partnered with award-winning chefs to go into six soup kitchens and rescue missions on Skid

Row in downtown Los Angeles. They prepared, served and ate a meal with residents and guests.

Los Angeles’ Skid Row contains one of the largest stable populations of homeless persons in the United States. As of the census of 2000, there were 17,740 people residing in this neighborhood, which is concentrated in a few small blocks in the city. Operating throughout Skid Row are non-profit organizations dedicated to helping those in need. Each facility or mission provides the homeless men, women and children of Los Angeles with services that range from walk-in medical care, beds, hot meals and showers to rehabilitation services, halfway houses and job placement assistance.

AARP was pleased to host the following chefs who joined the kitchens for the day. Life@50+ attendess had the opportunity to prepare a meal with one of these chefs and then served those in need.

Alex Roberts, 2010 James Beard Award-winner* for Best Chef: Midwest – Union Rescue Mission
Celina Tio, 2007 James Beard Award-winner* for Best Chef: Midwest – Downtown Women’s Center
Adam Siegel, 2008 James Beard Award-winner* for Best Chef: Midwest – St. Francis Center
Chefs from Denny’s – Los Angeles Mission
Nancy Silverton, 1990 James Beard Award-winner* for Best Pastry Chef of the Year – Midnight Mission
Isaac Becker, 2011 James Beard Award-winner* for Best Chef: Midwest – Weingart Center Association

* What is the James Beard Award?

Unable to Participate but Want to Help?

If you weren't able to join us on Wednesday, Sept.21, but are interested in giving back, we encourage you to make a donation to any of the facilities listed above. You can also visit Create the Good for volunteer opportunities in your hometown.