Skip to content
 

AARP VI Joins National You’ve Earned a Say Conversations

In mid March many AARP State Offices across the country launched events to help initiate a national conversation about Medicare and Social Security. Their goal is to provide Americans everywhere with the opportunity to voice their concerns about the future of these two vital programs. Over the coming months Americans, including Virgin Islanders, will be given the opportunity to learn about where each program stands and then share their opinions, experiences and suggestions as to what, if anything should be done.

See also: You’ve Earned a Say Questionnaire

“In the Virgin Islands, these programs are absolutely critical to the individual beneficiaries and to our community as a whole,” stated State Director Denyce Singleton. “Virgin Islanders have paid into Medicare and Social Security throughout their working lives and therefore have every right to share in the national conversation about what should or shouldn’t be done to reform these programs.”

“If benefits from these programs were to be cut, some of the most vulnerable Virgin Islanders may be those in our Hispanic community,” continued Singleton. “So we have chosen to start the conversation in Spanish with representatives from this community with our new Café con Leche series.” The initial event is scheduled for Saturday, March 24th at the Head Start Building in Estate Profit-Machuchal on St. Croix.

Reacting to being scheduled for the first VI community group being afforded the opportunity to weigh into the national conversation, Herminio Torres, President of the Estate Profit Action Committee, indicated that he was “extremely pleased to not only be included in this very important conversation, but to have been selected as the first group to have a say in the Virgin Islands conversation.”

The You’ve Earned a Say (YEaS) initiative, hosted nationwide by AARP, expects to reach millions of Americans to hear what they have to say about Medicare and Social Security reform.

AARP is working to take the debate about these two critical programs from behind closed doors in Washington and make sure that all Americans have a voice in the discussion about their future.

“Although we are starting this conversation with our Hispanic population,” continues Singleton, “AARP VI wants to hear what all Virgin Islanders have to say about Medicare and Social Security. AARP VI will be conducting many community conversations over the coming months. Contact the AARP VI State Office at 340-713-2002 for the scheduled conversation in your area.

AARP’s goal with You’ve Earned a Say is to amplify the voices of Americans, including Virgin Islanders by:

  • Holding community conversations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
  • Distributing a series of You’ve Earned a Say surveys and publishing the results online, through AARP publications, and in state-specific summary reports
  • Helping people to share their ideas directly with their members of Congress and the presidential candidates.
  • Hosting opportunities around the country for people to record their thoughts on why Medicare and Social Security are important to older Americans and their loved ones.
  • Creating a map of the United States that features video footage from all the You’ve Earned a Say conversations taking place around the country.

Organizations and community groups that would like to request AARP VI include them in a future community conversation on Medicare and Social Security are urged to telephone 340-713-2002 to schedule a conversation.