build state retiree coalitions; and to build coalitions of retiree, community, worker and nonprofit groups to support the work of the Fund and the Alliance. The Fund also conducts a number of other educational and training conferences, seminars and workshops. Since 2013, the ARA has encouraged and helped older American reach and have access to polls and petitions to vote on crucial bills concerning Medicare and Medicaid. Bringing the petitions to the doors of those the bills will concern has made it possible for their voices to be heard on issues that affect their day-to-day lives. The ARA has taken a much more hands-on approach in recent years to ensure that the needs of retired Americans will not be ignored but put on the top of the priority list for Congress and those creating and deciding on the laws. Notes References "About Senior Service America," Senior Service America. Amber, Michelle. "AFL-CIO Launches Retiree Advocacy Group to Lobby on Prescription Drugs, Other Issues." Health Care Daily Report. 6:101 (May 24, 2001). Ball, Robert M. "What Medicare's Architects Had In Mind." Health Affairs. 14:4 (Winter 1995). Battista, Andrew. "Labor and Liberalism: The Citizen Labor Energy Coalition." Labor History. 40:3 (August 1999). Churchman, Deborah. "Older Americans Find They Can Make Uncle Sam Listen." Christian Science Monitor. March 6, 1984. Derickson, Alan. "Health Security for All? Social Unionism and Universal Health Insurance, 1935–1958." Journal of American History. 80:4 (March 1994). Dine, Philip. "Labor Leaders Launch Political Organization for Retired Workers." St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 24, 2001. Eaton, Sabrina. "AFL-CIO Mustering Its Retirees." Cleveland Plain Dealer. May 23, 2001. Espo, David. "AARP Waging Big Advertising Blitz to Support GOP's Medicare Prescription Drug Plan." Associated Press. November 18, 2003. Fink, Gary M., ed. Biographical Dictionary of American Labor. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1984. Finucane, Martin. "AARP Faces Protest Within Its Ranks Over Medicare Bill." Associated Press. November 25, 2003. Greenhouse, Steven. "AFL-CIO Forms Retiree Advocacy Group." New York Times. May 24, 2001. Halbfinger, David M. "Democrats Give Republicans a Fight for the Elderly." New York Times. August 11, 2004. "History of Older Americans Month," Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed Jan. 6, 2007. Hodge, Damon. "Citizens' Group Tackles Important Senior Issues." Southeast View. August 5, 1998. Hoffman, Alice M. and Hoffman, Howard S., eds. The Cruikshank Chronicles: Anecdotes, Stories, and Memoirs of a New Deal Liberal. North Haven, Conn.: Archon Books,