AARP Foundation Launches “The Face Of Poverty Isn’t Who You Think”
AARP Foundation, AARP’s charitable affiliate working to end senior poverty, has unveiled a new multiplatform effort to raise awareness of its mission.
“Today, 1 in 7 seniors live in poverty,” said AARP Foundation President Lisa Marsh Ryerson. “Senior poverty is a widespread and deeply disturbing problem in the U.S. — but it’s often hidden from sight.”
She continued, “These ads are a call to bring senior poverty out of the shadows and into the mainstream American narrative. They’re a rallying cry for action that fosters resilience, strengthens communities and restores hope.”
The print campaign features the faces of seniors living at or near the poverty level. With a headline that reads simply, “The face of poverty isn’t who you think,” they capture their subjects’ dignity and resilience. The portrait-style images were shot by world-renowned photographer, Platon, whose work has graced over 20 Time magazine covers.
The two TV spots dramatize the challenges faced by older adults who struggle to meet their basic needs.
In “Garage Sale,” an older man tags his possessions in preparation for a garage sale. He then sits in a lawn chair, watching apprehensively as people look over his possessions. Rather than prices, however, each tag displays what the purchase will enable him to afford: “dinner tonight” … “bus fare” … “heart medicine.”
In the second spot, “Table,” the camera focuses on a plain table topped with photo frames and mail. The voiceover tells us that after 30 years of the table being an anchor, a mailroom, a community board, a memorial … these days, it’s a very different story. The camera zooms in on a final eviction notice as movers sweep the items off the table and into boxes, and follows them as they haul the table out of the house.
Even when you prepare, life doesn’t always go as planned. Today, 1 in 7 seniors live in poverty. To learn how you can help, visit aarpfoundation.org
