www.createthegood.org

www.iparticipate.org

Recently, AARP’s Create the Good announced it is collaborating with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) in encouraging all Americans to dedicate time to service – whether they have five minutes, five hours or five days. Working with EIF allows Create the Good to connect potential volunteers with ways to serve that work for them. People of all ages need to know that their communities need them, even if their time is limited.

Create the Good, an idea first developed by AARP that has now significantly expanded, is powered by AARP and more than nine million 50+ volunteers, donors and activists. The point of Create the Good, a phrase first coined by AARP’s founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, is that each of us has something to give that can help others. AARP was built on the foundation of volunteerism and Create the Good is a means for good people to get connected to opportunities to create good in their community.

Beginning the week of October 19th, the EIF will mobilize the entire entertainment community in an initiative designed to inspire a new era of service. Hollywood’s leading charity has enlisted the four major broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC to participate in this project called “I Participate.” Through I Participate (iparticipateusa.org), EIF hopes to make service a part of who we are as Americans and to show what we can achieve when we all pull together. AARP’s Create the Good’s role in I Participate is to help activate 50+ volunteers in communities across the country.

EIF will produce a series of celebrity-driven public service announcements that will reinforce the importance of volunteerism and promote the week. Through these PSAs, EIF will recognize and encourage support for five key areas of service: Education & Children, Health & Well Being, Economic Development, Environmental Conservation, and Support for Military Families. Jesse Dylan, the creative force behind Bono’s “Red” and “One” campaign, and will.i.am’s iconic “Yes, We Can” video, will be creating, directing and producing the PSAs.

In addition, the networks have agreed to infuse their television programs with themes about volunteerism and community service. More than 45 of TV’s most popular shows will be part of this unprecedented week of network programming.

The number of Americans who volunteer regularly has not increased in 40 years. Service experts and community leaders agree: we are at a critical moment when real change is needed. Now EIF and partnering organizations are asking the country to get involved and hopes to generate a new era of volunteerism.

The Create the Good website (CreatetheGood.org) offers ideas for self-directed activities and How To videos for simple service projects people can organize on their own. The site also allows people to submit ideas and email the site to their friends or post it to their social networks.

The holidays are fast approaching and many charities and organizations will be expanding their activities to help those in need. There’s never been a better time to give back and create the good.

AARP Overnight Survey: Independents More in Favor of Health Reform

All parties agree, health reform must be a priority this year

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2009—Independents 45-plus felt the President’s speech last night addressed some of their questions by a three-to-one margin according to overnight polling released by AARP today.  The same survey found that a majority of Democrats, Republicans and Independents all agreed reform must be a priority for this year.

In a national survey of Americans over 45, AARP found that many independents had concerns about health reform coming into last night’s speech (77 percent), but most (72 percent) felt that some of their concerns were addressed by the President’s speech.  Further, a clear majority of independents considered themselves “more supportive of the proposals being talked about related to health care” after the speech was over (63 percent).

“What we saw in this survey was something we’ve seen for decades: that once you explain why we need reform people understand its importance,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President.  “Last night’s speech wasn’t as much of a ‘game changer’ as it was a volume softener.  Older Americans across the political spectrum continue to agree that reform must be accomplished this year – we are hopeful that momentum carries us to reform that AARP can support.”

When asked if after watching the health reform address people felt that reform should be a priority for our leaders to address this year, 70 percent of Independents, 95 percent of Democrats and a majority of Republicans – 56 percent – agreed it should.

LeaMond added, “Illness does not ask who you voted for in the last election before the costs associated with getting sick decimate your family.  This survey finds that Americans – from all political walks of life – are worried about our current system and want reform. And AARP is going to fight as it has for more than 50 years until we achieve that reform.”

AARP is fighting for reforms that protect and expand benefits for people in Medicare, prevent discrimination based on age or health, and ensure no one—not an insurance company or a government bureaucrat—can come between you and your doctor.  We are working to close the dreaded gap in Medicare drug coverage that forces many to stop taking the medicines that keep them healthy, and ensure that older Americans can buy and keep affordable health coverage.

Woelfel Research Inc. conducted interviews with a random sample of people at least 45 years old who watched the president's address to Congress. The interviews, conducted on September 9, 2009 have a margin of sampling error of +/- 4.3 percent.

For the complete survey, click here.

The Medical Errors bill that AARP New Jersey lobbied for over the course of more than two years was signed into law on August 31st at the AARP state office in Plainsboro. See below for the link to NJN News and the Star-Ledger:

Click on the link, below, to see our latest op-ed on health care reform: