AARP Announces 2022 Purpose Prize® Award Winners; Award-Winning Television and Film Actor Michael J. Fox to Receive Honorary Purpose Prize

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, AARP 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. 

The 2022 AARP Purpose Prize winners are:

William Bracken – Fountain Valley, Calif. - Bracken's Kitchen

• Bracken's Kitchen produces meals to contribute to solving the growing issues of food waste as well as food insecurity. The organization uses a unique approach to repurpose donated and recovered food that would have otherwise gone to landfills.

Raymond Jetson – Baton Rouge, La. - MetroMorphosis

• MetroMorphosis aims to transform urban communities from within. The organization seeks to develop and mobilize a critical mass of engaged citizens to design and implement sustainable solutions to persistent community challenges.

Alan Miller – Bethesda, Md. - News Literacy Project

• News Literacy Project teaches people of all ages and backgrounds know how to identify credible news and other information, empowering them to have an equal opportunity to participate in the civic life of their communities and the country.

Ify Nwabukwu – Lanham, Md. - African Women's Cancer Awareness Association

• African Women's Cancer Awareness Association's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer on African immigrant women and their families by providing equal access to screening and care for African women.

Rita Zimmer – New York, N.Y. - HousingPlus

• HousingPlus' mission is to provide community-based housing and comprehensive services to women – including women with children – to support them in overcoming poverty, homelessness, addiction, trauma, and the effects of incarceration.

The 2022 AARP Purpose Prize fellows are:

Larry Berger – Pittsburgh, Penn. - SLB Radio Productions

Rebecca Bonner – Philadelphia, Penn. - The Bridge Way School

Terri Chandler – Las Vegas, Nev. - Future Smiles

Dexter Frederick, M.D. – Tampa, Fla. - Brain Expansions Scholastic Training

Sheila Jaffe – New York, N.Y. - The Felix Organization

Ilima Ho – Lastimosa – Waimanalo, Hawaii - Ke Kula Nui O Waimanalo

Shellie Layne – Birmingham, Ala. - At Home Foundation

Terri Winston – San Francisco, Calif. - Women's Audio Mission

Ana Yelen – Boulder, Colo. - Healing Warriors Program

About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.

SOURCE AARP

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