NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2025 \/PRNewswire\/ —\u00a0Today, AARP New York led a statewide celebration of Social Security’s 90th anniversary<\/b>, bringing together communities across the state to honor a program that has provided generations of New Yorkers with financial security, dignity, and peace of mind. From Manhattan’s Times Square to landmark light-ups stretching from Grand Central to Niagara Falls, the celebrations highlighted the program’s historic success while emphasizing the urgent need to protect and strengthen it for current and future generations.<\/p>\n
“In New York and across the country, Social Security is more than a check: it’s a lifeline earned through a lifetime of hard work,” said Beth Finkel, AARP New York State Director<\/b>. “Social Security is one of the most successful and popular programs in our nation’s history, and for 90 years, it has never missed a payment. Today’s celebrations honored that promise of dignity and financial stability, while recommitting to protecting and strengthening it for our kids and grandkids.”<\/p>\n Social Security’s impact in New York is significant: nearly one in five New York State residents\u2014about 3.76 million people\u2014receive Social Security, pumping $79 billion into the state’s economy each year<\/b>. For 38% of older New Yorkers, the program provides at least half of their income.<\/p>\n AARP New York’s events included:<\/b><\/p>\n Times Square Takeover & “We Earned It” Bus Tour:<\/b>\u00a0The night kicked off at Times Square with a towering billboard celebrating Social Security’s 90th anniversary, followed by a double-decker bus tour featuring more than 50 AARP volunteers, everyday New Yorkers, State Director Beth Finkel, and special guest AARP CEO Myechia Minter-Jordan. As the bus traveled through Midtown and Lower Manhattan, riders shared personal stories about how Social Security has impacted their lives.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Skyline Salute:<\/b> Iconic landmarks across New York State, from Times Square to Niagara Falls, were illuminated in red, white, and blue as a visual tribute to a program that has never missed a payment in nine decades, highlighting its reliability, reach, and impact. Sites included:<\/p>\n Albany International Airport Gateway<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Alfred E. Smith State Office Building<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Empire State Plaza<\/p>\n<\/li>\n State Education Building<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The H. Carl\u00a0McCall SUNY Building<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Governor Mario M.\u00a0Cuomo Bridge<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bronx Borough Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Brooklyn Borough Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Kosciuszko Bridge<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1WTC<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Grand Central Terminal –\u00a0Pershing Square Viaduct<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Manhattan Municipal Building<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Moynihan Train Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station<\/p>\n<\/li>\n NYC City Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Oculus<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Times Square billboard<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Queens Borough Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Staten Island Borough Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Niagara Falls<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Niagara Parks<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Peace Bridge<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3 City Center<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Joseph A.\u00a0Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Legacy Tower<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Monroe County Government Office<\/p>\n<\/li>\n One East Avenue<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rochester City Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Bachelor Forum<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Metropolitan Rochester<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Nathaniel<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Tower 280 Midtown<\/p>\n<\/li>\n State Fairgrounds \u2013 Main Gate & Expo Center<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Syracuse City Hall<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Nassau County Executive Building<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Suffolk County Executive Building<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n “Slice of the Story” Pizza Shop Conversations:<\/b> In the weeks leading up to Social Security’s 90th anniversary, AARP brought the celebration to local pizzerias statewide, from Albany to Long Island and all five boroughs of New York City. Over a slice of classic New York pizza, older adults shared with their local Congressmembers how their earned Social Security benefits\u2014”their slice of the pie”\u2014have provided financial security for themselves and their families.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Story Continues <\/p>\n AARP’s New York celebrations are part of the AARP nationwide “We Earned It” campaign<\/b>, which honors Social Security’s past while advocating for bipartisan solutions in Washington to secure its future. Social Security has helped generations of Americans avoid poverty, live with dignity in retirement, and provide financial security for their families. Nationwide, nearly 69 million Americans receive Social Security payments, while over 183 million workers contribute to ensure the program’s future.<\/p>\n “For 90 years, Social Security has been the bedrock of financial security and dignity in retirement, helping millions of Americans, especially the 40% of older adults who rely on it as their primary income, stay out of poverty after a lifetime of hard work. As a New Yorker, I’m proud to be here in New York City, surrounded by iconic landmarks lit up in red and white, to celebrate this milestone with New Yorkers. Together, we’re shining a spotlight on the urgent need to protect and strengthen Social Security,” said AARP CEO Myechia Minter-Jordan.<\/b><\/p>\n In honor of Social Security’s 90th anniversary, Governor Kathy Hochul<\/b> issued a statewide proclamation recognizing August 14, 2025, as Social Security Day in New York.<\/p>\n In New York City, the New York City Council also passed a resolution to mark August 14 as Social Security Day annually, highlighting the critical role Social Security plays in helping millions of New Yorkers live with dignity, stability, and peace of mind.<\/p>\n AARP is proud to celebrate Social Security’s 90th Anniversary while calling on our leaders to protect and strengthen the program for millions of New Yorkers, today and for future generations.<\/p>\n Connect with AARP New York on X: <\/b>@AARPNY<\/a><\/b>, Facebook: <\/b>AARP New York<\/a><\/b>\u00a0and LinkedIn: <\/b>AARP New York<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n About AARP<\/b><\/p>\n AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name.\u00a0As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest circulation publications,\u00a0AARP The Magazine\u00a0and\u00a0AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org\/about-aarp\/<\/a>, www.aarp.org\/espa\u00f1o<\/a>l or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspa\u00f1ol and @AARPadvocates on social media.<\/p>\n View original content to download multimedia:https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/aarp-new-york-celebrates-90-years-of-social-security-with-statewide-takeover-and-call-to-protect-it-for-future-generations-302530840.html<\/a><\/p>\n SOURCE AARP New York<\/p>\n <\/a> AARP celebrated Social Security\u2019s 90th birthday in Times Square in New York, NY on August 14, 2025. <\/p>\n
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<\/a> AARP celebrated Social Security\u2019s 90th birthday in Times Square in New York, NY on August 14, 2025.
<\/a> AARP New York (PRNewsfoto\/AARP New York)
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