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August marks the 90th anniversary of Social Security — a program that provides monthly payments to 1.5 million Arizonans.
AARP is planning events to celebrate the milestone and raise awareness of the importance of Social Security for Arizonans. It will encourage members to contact their representatives in Congress and advocate for strengthening Social Security’s future.
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The program is paying out more to beneficiaries than it’s collecting in revenue. If Congress doesn’t take action by 2034, older Americans will see their Social Security payments reduced by 19 percent, according to the 2025 Social Security Board of Trustees report.
Len Kirschner, 89, an AARP volunteer and former Arizona Medicaid director, has been a longtime advocate of programs that support older adults. “It changed the character of America,” Kirschner says of Social Security, explaining that before it was created, older Americans had nothing to fall back on.
AARP opposes proposals that would cut benefits or impair customer service. The program also infuses $31.7 billion into the state’s economy annually, says Dana Kennedy, AARP Arizona state director. “[It] remains a cornerstone of financial stability,” she says.
Go to aarp.org/socialsecurity to learn more.
Stacey Shepard, a California-based journalist, writes about health care, the environment and other issues.
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