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Washington, DC—AARP and Radio One, the nation’s largest radio broadcasting company that targets primarily African American and urban listeners, today launched a collaboration to highlight everyday acts of good through “Create The Good News” segments.

 

Radio One listeners can visit www.CreateTheGoodNews.org to submit inspirational stories about how they—or those they know—have made positive contributions to society. Through June 2010, CBS NFL Today co-host and AARP Community Ambassador James ‘JB’ Brown will select one story to highlight in a weekly “Create The Good News” series, airing nationally on Radio One stations.

 

“Service is an important part of what knits our communities together,” Brown said. “Every day in neighborhoods across the country, people are serving. But this good work doesn’t always make the news. We want folks to know that whether they have five minutes, five hours, or five days, every bit makes a difference. Hopefully these stories will inspire folks to get more involved in their communities.”

 

Sixty-second “Create The Good News” radio spots will air nationally in 40 markets beginning in late March. Through June 2010, all Americans can visit www.CreateTheGoodNews.org to share their stories.

 

Create The Good (www.CreateTheGood.org) is a network of people sharing tools and ideas to help make a difference on their own or in larger groups in their communities. It is powered by AARP and the AARP Foundation’s more than nine million volunteers, donors and activists.

 

“We are so pleased to work with Create The Good to tell the stories of everyday heroes who are making a difference in their communities,” said Cathy Hughes, Radio One founder and chairperson. “Too often our days are filled with negative news—we hope this new series will provide our listeners with a little bit of inspiration during these difficult times and encourage all of us to do more to help others.”

 

CreateTheGood.org offers local volunteer opportunities as well as ideas for self-directed activities and how-to videos for simple service projects people can organize on their own, like weatherizing homes, starting healthy walking groups, fighting fraud, preparing for a hurricane and other needs.

 

 

 

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 17, 2010

Contact: Tiffany Lundquist, AARP Maryland, 410-895-7614, tlundquist@aarp.org

 

 

[BALTIMORE] — Today AARP announced it has awarded 2009 Legislative Achievement Awards to Senator Barbara Mikulski and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for their work to champion legislation to improve the lives of Americans age 50-plus and their families. Twenty AARP Congressional Awards winners nationwide took action on legislation that will help older Americans by improving health care and bringing down overall health care costs; protecting the economic and retirement security of older Americans; and ensuring that their communities are affordable, safe and accessible.

 

Senator Mikulski and Representative Hoyer were each awarded a Legislative Achievement Award for their leadership on preventing age discrimination and working to ensure equal rights for all workers.

 

“We want to recognize the hard work that our lawmakers have done on the issues that are most critical to our members and all older Americans,” said AARP Maryland Interim State Director Rawle Andrews Jr. “Because of Senator Mikulski and Leader Hoyer’s continued commitment to equal treatment for all workers, more Marylanders will be protected from illegal discriminatory compensation practices.”

 

Arrangements are being made for presentation ceremonies for both awards.

 

The AARP Congressional Awards were launched in 2008. AARP members and all Americans can find more information about the AARP Congressional Awards and AARP’s advocacy efforts at www.aarp.org/governmentwatch.

 

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2010



CONTACT: Tiffany Lundquist, AARP Maryland

410-869-2204 (cell)

410-895-7614 (office)

tlundquist@aarp.org



AARP: PROTECT VULNERABLE MARYLANDERS WITH UNIFORM POWER OF ATTORNEY



ANNAPOLIS (February 11, 2010) — In written comments prepared for today’s Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing, AARP urged Maryland lawmakers to protect older and disabled citizens by enacting the Uniform Power of Attorney Act (SB309). Excerpts from AARP’s comments follow.

The Uniform Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA) seeks to preserve the durable power of attorney as a low-cost, flexible, and private form of surrogate decision making while deterring use of the power of attorney as a tool for financial abuse of incapacitated individuals. It contains provisions that encourage acceptance of powers of attorney by third persons, safeguard incapacitated principals, and provide clearer guidelines for agents.

In December 2008, AARP and the American Bar Association released a study on power of attorney abuse and what states can do about it. The report identified the key consumer protection provisions of the UPOAA, and compared them to existing state statutes. It found that a large majority of state laws lack most of the UPOAA’s protections for individuals creating powers of attorney. In fact, Maryland law has none of these provisions or anything substantially similar.

In researching the report and preparing for its release, AARP heard from adult protective services agencies, civil attorneys, prosecutors and other professionals that power of attorney abuse is on the rise. The stories told by these front-line professionals form a true “parade of horribles.”

Power of attorney abuse can take many forms. An agent may spend the principal’s money for self-dealing purposes. The agent may exceed the intended scope of authority, e.g. making gifts of the principal’s property when that power hasn’t been granted. The principal’s estate plan may be undermined when assets are given to unintended recipients. The power of attorney itself may be a forgery or may be the result of undue influence. But the predators always wreak havoc and sometimes even shorten the lives of their victims.

The UPOAA contains many protections against these acts. It sets forth clear agent duties and prohibitions that will make civil actions and criminal prosecutions more effective. It contains mandatory and default duties that prohibit self-dealing and mandate preservation of the principal’s estate plan. It makes clear that a power of attorney terminates when the principal dies and creates agent liability for damages.

AARP encourages advance planning for incapacity through the use of durable powers of attorney, and strongly supports enactment of the UPOAA in Maryland and in every state.

AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors.



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