AARP has announced its 2022 AARP Purpose Prize award recipients and fellows, the only national award that celebrates people 50-plus who use their knowledge and life experience to solve challenging social problems.
These extraordinary Americans use their experiences and selflessly dedicate their lives to build a better future for the world around them.
Alongside the Purpose Prize winners and fellows, AARP will present award-winning television and film actor and activist Michael J. Fox with an honorary Purpose Prize Award for his work in advocating for Parkinson’s research. After going public with his diagnosis in 1991, Fox launched The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000. Today the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s drug development, the Foundation has funded more than $1 billion in global research programs. Fox currently sits on the Foundation’s Board of Directors and serves as its inspirational leader. He travels and frequently speaks on behalf of the organization, which the New York Times described as “the most credible voice on Parkinson’s research in the world.”
“AARP is honored to celebrate these extraordinary older adults, who have dedicated their lives to serving others in creative and innovative ways,” said AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins. “During these trying times in our country and globally, we are inspired to see people use their life experiences to build a better future for us all.”
Each AARP Purpose Prize winner will receive a $50,000 award for their organization. AARP also announced the AARP Purpose Prize fellows, who will be honored for the mission-focused work of the organizations they lead and will receive a $10,000 award to further the mission of their organization. Both winners and fellows also receive a year of technical support to help broaden the scope of their organization’s work.
This year AARP also announced a new award category called the AARP Inspire Award. Starting today, the general public will have the opportunity to vote at www.aarp.org/InspireAward for the AARP Purpose Prize winner they would like to win the AARP Inspire Award, using review criteria of impact, personal story, and innovation. The AARP Inspire Award recipient will be announced during the virtual event celebration on December 15, 2021. The winner’s organization will receive an additional $10,000.
