AARP 2008 Annual Report Download - page 21

AARP’s highest honor, the Andrus Award, was presented to Dr. Francis S. Collins, who led the
groundbreaking National Institutes of Health effort to discover the three billion letters of DNA needed to
build a human being. This effort holds great promise for curing diseases. Our magazine’s feature article and
a video took a close-up look at the motorcycle-riding, guitar-strumming geneticist.
In addition, AARP honored remarkable volunteers in all of our 53 offices with the Andrus Awards for
Community Service. More than half of the award-winners were leaders of AARP Chapters, demonstrating
their active engagement in improving community life.
Personal growth and transformation at midlife and beyond was illuminated in Live & Learn, the lively news
vehicle made available to all online by NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community.
An increasing proportion of new AARP members reflect America’s multicultural communities. The
member value agenda for AARP has been expanded to reflect an emphasis on increasing the number of
African American and Hispanic members, integrating and leveraging a multicultural strategy across the
Association.
We were honored when the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force recognized AARP’s Office of Diversity
and Inclusion with its 2008 D.C. Leadership Award. We deepened our collaborations with organizations
representing diverse ages, lifestyles, and attitudes. It’s all part of ensuring that “What we do, we do for all.”
Services and Discounts
A record number of people turned to AARP-branded products and services in 2008, demonstrating their
value as members’ household budgets tightened.
In health care, we began implementing both an expanded relationship with UnitedHealth Group (UHG) and
a new provider relationship with Aetna to offer health insurance for AARP members age 50-64. These
relationships were designed to improve members’ access to health care, while also improving the way
health care is delivered.
More than 14,400 insurance agents were trained to discuss AARP-branded health products face-to-face
with clients. This added a new dimension of customer service, and expanded the plans’ geographic
coverage.
AARP Financial Inc. (AFI), a registered investment adviser and a subsidiary of AARP Services, helped
people better navigate the economic slowdown with expanded decision tools on its Web site. AFI’s “10
Tips for Navigating Tough Times” were especially popular. AARP also executed a new, 10-year contract
with Chase to make available a credit card with socially responsible features such as low introductory rates
and lower late-payment fees.
To help AARP members stretch their dollars a little further, AARP members received access to thousands
of discounts from leading merchants on a wide variety of products. Lower prices on food, clothing,
household and pet supplies, electronics, shoes and more were available through AARP Services’ launch of
The Everyday Savings Center powered by Next Jump.
Serving Others
AARP’s founder was an educator, humanitarian, and social innovator who believed passionately that each
of us can improve society by giving of our time and talents in serving others.
We echoed her call to “serve, not to be served”
with bold new efforts to involve people of all ages in civic life.
Create The Good