William McDonald Named AARP New York Volunteer State President, Pledges Push for Safer Streets and Better Care for Older New Yorkers

McDonald takes the helm and sets a clear agenda for people 50+ in New York

AARP New York has named William McDonald its volunteer State President, a leadership role that puts him at the center of the group’s work for people aged 50 and older across the state. The appointment, announced by AARP New York this week, makes McDonald the public face of the organization’s volunteer network and the lead voice for its statewide campaigns and partnerships.

For New Yorkers 50 and up, the change matters in practical ways: McDonald says he will press for safer streets, easier access to health care, and more age-friendly local planning. His first moves will be to step up transportation and health outreach programs and to expand opportunities for members to weigh in with lawmakers and city planners.

A long road to the volunteer presidency: McDonald’s background and community ties

McDonald is not new to AARP New York. He has served for years on the group’s Executive Council, where he helped shape local priorities and led volunteer teams across several regions. That steady work inside AARP is the main credential the group points to in picking him for this post.

Outside AARP, McDonald built a reputation as a transportation advocate. He has worked with neighborhood groups, transit coalitions and municipal task forces pushing for safer crosswalks, better bus service and clearer planning for older adults who no longer drive. Those efforts brought him into contact with city planners, transit officials and other community leaders — relationships he says will help him move campaigns forward from day one.

Colleagues describe McDonald as hands-on: he has run local outreach events, organized volunteer phone banks, and led panels on mobility and housing. That mix of grassroots organizing and policy experience is what supporters say makes him a fit for a role that is unpaid but influential.

Top priorities: transportation, health care access and age-friendly neighborhoods

McDonald laid out a short list of priorities that look familiar but are practical in focus. First on the list: transportation. He plans to push for safer pedestrian crossings, better bus routes that serve older neighborhoods, and clearer information for riders who need extra help getting to appointments.

Health care access is next. McDonald has said he will work to expand outreach programs that help people navigate Medicare and local health services, and to press insurers and providers for fewer barriers to routine care. He also wants AARP New York to amplify campaigns around prescription costs and home-based supports that let people age in place comfortably.

Finally, McDonald wants more age-friendly community work. That means working with cities and towns to make public spaces easier to use for people with limited mobility, encouraging local housing policies that include accessible units, and supporting volunteer networks that keep older neighbors connected.

Concrete early steps he has outlined include a series of regional listening sessions, a renewed transit-access petition drive, and an outreach push focused on health coverage sign-ups and pharmacy access in underserved areas.

Voices on the appointment: leaders, partners and McDonald himself respond

In announcing the appointment, AARP New York’s senior staff praised McDonald’s record of steady volunteer work and practical campaigning. “William brings deep ties to communities across the state and a real track record on transportation and health issues,” said a senior AARP New York official. “We expect him to make our volunteer network stronger and to raise the voices of older New Yorkers where decisions are being made.”

McDonald framed his new role in plain terms. “I want to make sure people can get where they need to go and get the care they need without needless barriers,” he said. “That means safer streets, better transit options, and more places that welcome older residents.”

Local partners welcomed the pick. A leader at a statewide transportation nonprofit called the appointment “a practical choice” and said McDonald understands how small fixes — a curb cut, a bus stop shelter, clearer signals — can make a big difference for older adults’ independence.

What this means for New Yorkers 50+: next steps and how members can engage

Expect activity soon. McDonald plans to kick off regional listening sessions across the state within the next several months. These will give members and neighbors a chance to describe local problems and to suggest solutions that AARP can take to city halls and to the state capitol. AARP New York also intends to relaunch targeted outreach drives on transportation access and health coverage ahead of the coming legislative session.

Members who want to be involved should watch AARP New York’s events calendar for town halls and volunteer training sessions. McDonald has said volunteers will be central to the work: recruiting peers, documenting local barriers, and speaking up at public hearings to press for design and funding changes that affect older adults.

For many older New Yorkers, the real test will be whether these plans turn into visible changes in neighborhoods: safer crossings, clearer transit information, and services that let people stay active and connected. With McDonald now at the volunteer helm, AARP New York is signaling it wants to be more visible in day-to-day problems that shape how older people move, shop, and receive care.