Meet the Winners of This Year’s AARP Purpose Prize

Older adults are finding ways to connect more deeply with their communities and give back a lifetime of knowledge and wisdom to enact positive change.

Whether it’s supporting internet access for those in remote parts of the country, championing mental health in youth or inspiring stewardship of public lands, each of this year’s winners of the AARP Purpose Prize is leveraging unique skills and experiences they’ve developed throughout their lives to improve their communities.

These individuals work closely with their neighbors, schools and policymakers to tackle complex issues that foster wellness, social connections, financial stability and education.

This year, AARP awarded $75,000 each to five nonprofits and will provide their organizations with a year’s worth of technical support to build on their impactful work.

Jeff Elkins for AARP

“This year’s Purpose Prize awardees mirror AARP’s vision of lifelong fulfillment and healthy aging,” says AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan. “They are living proof that the desire to serve does not diminish with time — it grows. Their organizations are transforming lives across this nation. Their commitment and creativity are needed now more than ever.”

Each year, AARP presents the Purpose Prize to nonprofit founders 50 and older who tackle a problem and develop solutions that make a lasting impact, drawing on their own life experiences. To qualify, winners must have founded their organization at age 40 or later.

Winners will be recognized during a celebration in Washington, D.C., in October.

Here are the recipients of this year’s AARP Purpose Prize:

Aaron Casillas, founder and executive director of the Mycelia Foundation, is building internet infrastructure in remote desert towns in New Mexico and providing technology access for older adults, families and students..

Harold Garman and Spence Limbocker, cofounders of the Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative, pair volunteers in retirement with members of the surrounding community, many of them immigrants, to build supportive programs for youth and adults.

Ilyssa Manspeizer, founder and CEO of Landforce, restores public land while providing training, jobs and career coaching to individuals who struggle to find steady employment.

Larry McCord, cofounder of CHADS Coalition for Mental Health, offers suicide prevention programs to young people through counseling, mentoring and awareness programs in schools.

Jacquelyn Thomas, founder and executive director of Kids N Technology, is bridging the digital divide in diverse school districts by supporting technology education through hands-on STEM learning.