Press release by AARP Global Network

INDIA 's DIGNITY FOUNDATION NOW PART OF THE AARP Global Network

Leading Organization in India Collaborates with International Network Serving the 50+ Population

WASHINGTON (December 5, 2008)- AARP today announced that Dignity Foundation, one of India's leading organizations for people 50+, joined the AARP Global Network as an Associate Federation member. By bringing one of India 's fastest-growing 50+ membership organizations on board, the AARP Global Network continues to dramatically enhance its ability to use the power of its collective resources and international experience to confront issues impacting the 50+ population in India and help fill gaps in the marketplace that can help address their needs.

Founded in 2006 by AARP, the AARP Global Network is an association of national organizations serving the needs of the 50+ population in their respective countries. Dr. Sheilu Sreenivasan, founder and president of Dignity Foundation, will lead their efforts in India and work closely with the AARP Global Network to continue to build upon the success of that organization.

"As India's age 50+ population nears 195 million people, meeting the needs of this segment as they age has emerged as one of the key challenges facing leaders in both the public and private sectors," said Ladan Manteghi, president of AARP Global Network. "Dr. Sheilu Sreenivasan has been a visionary figure in being able to identify the types of services that will be needed to keep India 's aging population active and productive. We are pleased to be able to help expand the ways in which Dignity Foundation achieves these goals."

"The key to Dignity's success has been our ability to provide information and resources to the 50+ population across much of India . By joining the AARP Global Network, we hope to learn how we can more effectively utilize the resources we already have to serve our members and continue to grow the organization to expand our member benefits and services," Sreenivasan said. "We look forward to working with AARP Global Network, as well as our partners and funders, to enhance many more lives across India ."

Dignity Foundation joins a list of organizations stretching across the globe--from the U.S. to Italy to Denmark to Canada--that are looking to the AARP Global Network to help them better meet the needs of the large and dynamic populations they serve, deliver positive social change and respond to market gaps in products and services.

The AARP Global Network will continue to pursue membership in other countries in Europe , Asia and Latin America . All income generated by the AARP Global Network is reinvested within the Network to advance its mission of helping organizations better fulfill their social missions and serve their members.

About the AARP Global Network

The AARP Global Network is the preeminent international network of organizations serving the needs of the mature population in countries around the world. Through its member organizations, the AARP Global Network provides expertise and advisory services, infrastructural support, syndicated content for publications, reciprocal membership benefits for consumers and leverages product and service provider relationships across borders. To learn more about the AARP Global Network, please visit www.aarpglobalnetwork.org .

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia , Puerto Rico , and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

About Dignity Foundation

Dignity Foundation is a not-for-profit NGO working for senior citizens of India over the past 13 years. Commencing with the publication of magazine Dignity Dialogue, the Foundation responded to expressed needs of its subscribers by setting up a number of social support services. These services are mostly rendered by trained volunteer members of the Foundation who are themselves 50+, under the leadership of professionally qualified Staff. The services are supportive, empowering, recreational and educative in nature. The key insight that goes into the making of the Foundation is the recognition of the vital heterogeneity of the population numbering 195 million. The offer of 24 varieties of services addresses this sociological reality.

Dignity Chapters in 6 cities of India are managed through the same network of 50+-- in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Jamshedpur , Bangalore and Visakhapatnam . Dignity Foundation is an invited Expert in committees for the central Govt. for planning of policies and programmes for older persons. In Maharashtra and Jharkhand, Dignity Foundation undertakes Govt. projects of a collaborative nature. The Foundation is supported by its own members, subscribers, corporate and private donors and volunteers from all over the country

Released by

Elly Spinweber, AARP, 001-202.434.2624, espinweber@aarp.org

FIRST WORD FROM DR.SHEILU SREENIVASAN

In the NGO world of hard work and dedication Passion is Queen. The flow of adrenalin starts from day one. So it has been for me: my love life with AARP.

THE STORY

As I remained affected by the distress I saw among senior citizens who came to the workplace I was in 1994 in Mumbai, somebody dropped me an old copy of The AARP Magazine. Mesmerised by the articles I read, I took a peep into the organisation that published it: The American Assn of Retired Persons as it was called then. As I ran through the substance of its services to older persons, delivered through its not-for-profit organizational structure, I fell in love with its mission, vision and action programmes. I became an individual member of AARP and followed vividly all its activities.

Somewhat in the footsteps of this great organisation, I set up Dignity Foundation in 1995. We created need-based support services to senior citizens in Mumbai, and slowly took them to Chennai, Kolkata, Jamshedpur , Bangalore , Visakhapatnam . As our Organisation grew in numbers and strength, we saw the necessity of bringing in professional skills to manage its various activities. The challenges became apparent and appeared almost insurmountable.

That was when an invitation came from AARP in 2006 to join its workshop at Anaheim , LA , specially organised for Social Entrepreneurs in Ageing all over the world. AARP had studied the work of Dignity Foundation over the decade and found it relevant to invite us to join the Workshop. In quick succession the workshops over the two years made me privy to the dynamic working methods and philosophies of not only AARP but also other Charter and Foundation members such as Dane Age, CARP and others.

Now Dignity Foundation is being invited to be an Associate Member of the AARP Global Network. What it means is that the Network is ready to help Dignity Foundation with thought leadership, advisory services, strategic resources and proven solutions through its network of like-minded organisations.

The main reason why we are so very happy to accept this Membership is that we want to be able to advance our social mission of serving the 91 million senior citizens of India with the collective might of AARP Global Network. Through this exclusive Network, we hope to gain the ability to meet common challenges, tap into collective expertise, and develop collaborative, sustainable solutions to local issues.

This exercise will also enable us to help other developing countries that are striving to understand and solve the associated problems of Ageing in their country.

I am happy to report that in all Chapters, the Directors have conveyed to the members through appropriate Press Conferences the above message. I thank all the members and well wishers of Dignity Foundation for your steadfast support and encouragement.

- Dr. Sheilu Sreenivasan