Civic Ventures :: In the News

In the News

Civic Ventures in the News: 2006

Editorial - "Citizen of the Year - W. Wilson Goode"
Philadelphia Inquirer
By Editorial
December 31, 2006
Find this article: Philadelphia Inquirer
The editorial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer selects the Rev. Dr. W. Wilson Goode Sr. as its 2006 Citizen of the Year. The award honors people whose work has upheld in a major way the ideals of citizenship: promoting justice; strengthening democracy or fostering community. Goode, a two-time mayor of Philadelphia, founded the mentoring organization Amachi, which reaches out to the children of incarcerated parents. The nonprofit has more than 240 programs nationwide helping 30,000 children. Goode is honored for working to break generational cycles of violence in families, a critical piece of the solution in violence-torn Philadelphia, which had more than 400 homicides this year. For his work with the Amachi organization, Civic Ventures selected Goode as one of the five 2006 Purpose Prize winners.
"Purposeful living for the greater good benefits adults over 50, as well as their communities"
The Journal on Active Aging
By Patrick Cullinane
December 31, 2006
Full article [PDF]
Does civic engagement contribute to healthy aging? As active aging professionals work to empower age 50- plus adults to improve their quality of life and maintain their independence, can this healthy social capital benefit our communities? And will such a benefit help dispel myths about retired older adults as a burden to society and concerned about only their needs? A growing number of individuals and organizations say yes.
"Purpose Prize Salutes Innovators 60 and Up"
Where to Retire
December 13, 2006
Full article [PDF]
"We have entered a new age of social innovation," says Civic Ventures Executive Vice President Jim Emerman. A huge untapped resource resides in potential retirees who "find ways to use their experience to tackle important social problems." Civic Ventures honors those older adults through its Purpose Prize. The five 2006 winners are profiled in this piece.
"Boomers answer call to service"
Stateline.org
By Christine Vestal
December 13, 2006
Find this article: Stateline.org
In the last four years, a growing number of baby boomers are showing up in the freshman class of state legislatures, and those numbers reflect a broader trend: Boomers, nearly 3 million of whom will celebrate their 60th birthday this year, are eschewing retirement in favor of meaningful second careers. Nearly 60 percent of Americans aged 50 to 70 said they want to put social purpose ahead of other goals, according to a recent survey commissioned by Civic Ventures. Ventures. Baby boomers "want to use the talents and experience they have to solve big problems in their community and in the country," says Jim Emerman, executive vice president at Civic Ventures.
"Gift of Knowledge: Agency helps finance cars while teaching finance"
Nashua Telegraph
By Martha A. Hamilton
December 12, 2006
Find this article: Nashua Telegraph
Vietnam veteran and electrical engineer, Robert Chambers, 62, runs a nonprofit group called Bonnie CLAC that helps low-income workers buy reliable cars while teaching them useful financial skills. He created the organization after working in the car industry for several years and becoming disgusted by how "low-income individuals were being taken for a ride." So far Bonnie CLAC has helped 830 people buy cars and learn to better handle their finances. Earlier this year, Chambers was honored for his work by Civic Ventures, receiving a $10,000 Purpose Prize.
"The Purpose Prize recognizes leaders with experience"
The Erickson Tribune
By Michele Harris
November 27, 2006
Full article
"It was our belief that some of the most important human resources for solving our country's biggest problems come from the place where we least expect it," says Jim Emerman, executive vice president of Civic Ventures. "That's the population that's now moving into the phase that used to be called retirement." To spotlight these older social innovators, Civic Ventures created The Purpose Prize to honor people using their retirement years to make significant contributions toward solving some of the nation's biggest social problems. The five $100,000 Purpose Prize winners are profiled.
"Geriactivism"
Chicago Tribune Magazine
November 26, 2006
Full article [PDF]
Marc Freedman and Civic Ventures are drawing on a powerful untapped resourse - older adults - to address society's pressing humanitarian needs. Civic Venture's oldest program, Experience Corps, brings older volunteers into the schools; the Purpose Prize rewards outstanding older social entrepreneurs; and the new Breakthrough Award honors nonprofits and public agencies that recruit workers over 50.
"A New Mission Helping Low-Income Car Buyers"
Washington Post
By Martha M. Hamilton
November 19, 2006
Find this article: Washington Post
After a thriving career creating a series of computer software companies, Robert Chambers, 62, did the unexpected, and began working in the car industry. But the career switch proved to be fortutious, and provided the idea for his next entrepreneurial venture. Disgusted by the treatment of the low income seeking car loans, Chambers created Bonnie CLAC (car loans and counseling) to help low income people - particularly women - buy cars and manage their finances. To date, the organization has helped 830 people buy cars. For his work, Chambers was named as a finalist in Civic Ventures' Purpose Prize, and was awarded $10,000 to further his efforts.
"The Third Age - Aging work force creates chance for valuable change"
Columbia Daily Tribune
By Ann Gowans
November 13, 2006
Find this article: Columbia Daily Tribune
A critical question facing our aging society is: How can modern society create meaningful, purposeful roles for people between the ages of 55 and 75? Jim Emerman, former CEO of the American Society on Aging and present vice president of Civic Ventures, says that the changes occurring as the world's populations grow older are not simply about redefining retirement, but also involve a need to understand a new 'Life Stage' of life and work, one that falls between midlife and true old age. It's often a time of transition between the world of work and raising a family and the point at which physical retirement seems necessary. Emerman suggests that religious and business organziations will define the road ahead; the business community is already making strides in understanding, employing and retaining older workers.
"Presto Change-O"
AARP The Magazine
By Samuel Greengard
November 2006
Full article
It's not easy to switch careers at 50-plus, but more and more workers are taking the leap and starting over at jobs they love. According to a 2005 study conducted by Merrill Lynch, 76 percent of baby boomers intend to "retire" and keep right on working and earning - most after launching a new career. For some, burnout from an existing job or the desire to face new challenges drives the change. Others seek a job that gives them a greater sense of purpose. "Many people in their 50s want to make a difference and feel as though they're not just passing through life," explains Marc Freedman, president of Civic Ventures. "They want to put the productive years they have remaining to good use."
"Community Colleges Want You"
New York Times
By Elizabeth Olson
October 27, 2006
Full article [FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED]
As they begin to hit their retirement years, baby boomers are expected to flood community colleges for the credidentials and training they will need to reposition themselves for second careers. The nation's 1200 community colleges are scrambling to create new programs to help this generation choose their second acts, and are strengthening existing programs to make them more relevant to these students. Civic Ventures is advising a number of community colleges to help them develop meaningful programs for this wave of students.
"Real Estate: Not Your Father's Retirement"
Newsweek
By Daniel McGinn and Andrew Murr
October 23, 2006
Find this article: Newsweek
Homebuilders are creating new retirement communities featuring the amenities boomers require. Gone are the shuffleboards and bowling alleys; in are the classes, home offices, high ceilings and marble countertops. Few companies are anticipating boomers' evolving housing needs more than Pulte's Del Webb division, the nation's biggest builder of retirement homes. Not all residents will focus entirely on leisure activities. In the most dramatic shift from traditional retirement communities, 42 percent of today's buyers plan to continue working. Civic Ventures' Marc Freedman comments on the impact Del Webb's communities have had on generations of retirees.
"Boomers go after fantasy jobs"
NBC Nightly News
By James Hattori
October 18, 2006
Find this article: NBC Nightly News
In one recent survey, 83 percent of American baby boomers said they want to keep working into their later years, and more than half are looking for a new profession. For some, it's a chance to explore a fantasy job, for others, it's a means to fill a void, and to create an encore career. Civic Ventures senior vice president David Bank is quoted.
"Mentoring Offers Hope To At-Risk Kids" and "Eye to Eye with Wilson Goode"
CBS Evening News
By Wyatt Andrews
October 17, 2006
Find this article: CBS Evening News
"I'm convinced that a child of incarcerated parents is the most at-risk child in our society," Dr. Wilson Goode says. Goode is the former mayor of Philadelphia and the founder of a mentoring organization called Amachi. The organization has recruited some 30,000 adults nationwide to mentor the children of people behind bars. Their numbers are alarming - 7.3 million. For his work, Goode was named one of Civic Ventures Purpose Prize winners. Correspondent Wyatt Andrews profiles Goode and showcases the Amachi mentoring program. In the 7-minute companion interview, Dr. Wilson Goode describes the Amachi program to Correspondent Wyatt Andrews for CBS' Eye to Eye
"Activism Isn't Just For Kids - Venture philanthropy is helping retired baby boomers become social entrepreneurs"
Business Week
By Toddi Gutner
October 16, 2006
Find this article: Business Week
As Florida's secretary for aging and adult services in the mid-1990s, Conchy Bretos got a close look at a huge population of seniors who were terribly neglected: the elderly poor living in public housing. Recognizing a need to bring assisted-living services to public-housing residents in their own homes, Bretos, now 60, launched MIA Consulting Group in Miami Beach. Her for-profit company has helped 40 public-housing projects in 12 states bring assisted-living services to their residents through the use of Medicaid funds. Her biggest coup? A pending agreement between the U.S. Housing & Urban Development Dept. and the Health & Human Services Dept. to work together to provide these services nationwide. For her groundbreaking work, Bretos was named one of Civic Ventures five Purpose Prize winners.
Baby boomers want to retire but stay involved
Arizona Daily Star
By Editorial
October 16, 2006
Full article
This editorial discusses Civic Ventures and Experience Corps in Tucson, suggesting that "Our community needs to embrace the energy, expertise and wisdom of retirees and encourage their involvement here." It quotes Ellen Hargis, CEO of the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona, Tucson's host to Experience Corps, noting that for Arizona retirees, often "golf isn't enough." The editorial also quotes Civic Ventures CEO Marc Freedman.
"Judea Pearl and Akbar Ahmed's Interfaith Dialogues"
NPR - Fresh Air
October 10, 2006
Find this article: NPR - Fresh Air
Terry Gross interviews Judea Pearl and Akbar Ahmed about the interfaith dialogues they are conducting across the country and abroad. For their work, Pearl and Akbar were named as winners of Civic Ventures 2006 Purpose Prize. Pearl is the father of slain journalist Daniel Pearl and author of I am Jewish. Professor Ahmed teaches Islamic Studies at American University
"They'll Just Keep Going and Going and Going..."
Workforce Management
By Ed Frauenheim
October 9, 2006
Full article [PDF]
People age 55 and older are staying in the workforce in greater numbers, and the trend is expected to continue. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, one out of every five workers will be 55 or older. On the other hand, a study from McKinsey $ Co suggests that people may overestimate their staying power on the job, ignoring factors like health problems and job loss. Either way, older workers seem driven in part by a need to make a difference. A study last year by Civic Ventures and Met Life found that half of Americans age 50 to 70 want jobs now and in retirement that contribute to the greater good.
"Unexpected job loss can hit retirement plans"
Chicago Tribune
By Janet Stewart Kidd
October 1, 2006
Find this article: Chicago Tribune
Thousands of workers have been thrust out of the workforce on something other than their own timetable. When it happens to older workers, it can cripple even the best-laid retirement plans. As more employers remove defined-benefit pension plans, which pay off only at the end of a career, older workers are job hopping more often, and that leaves them as vulnerable to job loss as younger workers. It happened to baby boomer Conchy Bretos, who lost her job in the government sector. Bretos, then 50, turned her situation around by striking out on her own and starting a consulting business to help bring assisted-living services to public housing facilities. That business, MIA Consulting Inc., recently won a $100,000 Purpose Prize award from Civic Ventures, which honors entrepreneurs over 60 who operate businesses with a social mission.
"In Life's Second Act, Some Take on a New Role: Entrepreneur"
New York Times
By Elizabeth Olson
September 28, 2006
Find this article: New York Times
Federal government data suggests there are now at least three million entrepreneurs who are 55 and ove, up one-third from the number counted in 2000. But transitioning into a new career at a later age can be challenging, often requiring the financial risk of investing retirement savings in a new business with the hope of future profits. "The whole notion of reinvention can be a treacherous one," said Marc Freedman, president of Civic Ventures. "It can set people up for the notion that this is an easy or even magical transformation." In addition to the risk of investing retirement savings, health care coverage is uncertain, and the demands of 60 to 80 hours of work a week can be draining.
"Dorm food and pop quizzes decades after most of their peers"
AP
By Brandie M. Jefferson
September 18, 2006
Find this article: AP
Increasing numbers of baby boomers are heading back to school to earn degrees. Colleges and universities are finding that older students are more likely that younger students to be driven by a desire to help others. Further, a study by the Met Life Foundation and Civic Ventures found that half of adults between the ages of 50 and 70 say they are interested in taking jobs now or in the future that help improve the quality of life in their communities.
"After His Son's Death, A New Life's Work"
Newsweek
By Matthew Phillips
September 11, 2006
Full article
Judea Pearl, father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, and former Pakistani diplomat Akbar Ahmed are among the five winners of the inaugural Purpose Prize, an award created by Civic Ventures to honor older adults who take on society's biggest challenges. For the last two years, Pearl, 70, and Ahmed, 63, have engaged in a traveling dialogue in front of interfaith audiences around the world. The two men sit on a bare stage and discuss conflict in the Middle East and ways to improve Jewish-Muslim relations. Through the Daniel Pearl Foundation, Pearl also works to bridge the gulf between Islam and Judaism by bringing Muslim journalists on fellowships to work in U.S. newsrooms and at Jewish papers.
"At New Rentals, the Aim Is to Age With Creativity"
New York Times
By Patricia Leigh Brown
September 10, 2006
Find this article: New York Times
In Los Angeles, the Burbank Senior Artists Colony is a new spin on late-life living. As not everyone wants the old-school model of golf course retirement, the colony offers artful self-expression: a digital film editing laboratory, a theater, drama classes, and studios open for inspiration 24 hours a day. The colony was recently recognized as a model for creative aging by the National Endowment for the Arts. Also recognized were the National Center for Creative Aging in Brooklyn, which places older artists as mentors in public schools; Levine School of Music's Senior Chorale in Washington; and the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, Md., a Washington suburb, where youthful dancers work among those staving off arthritis. Civic Ventures president Marc Freedman says that life in the colony is "not just writing memoirs and harvesting the past. It's about producing new insights and work that is not only personally interesting but enriches the lives of neighbors."
"Father of reporter killed in Pakistan honored for efforts in promoting tolerance"
Staten Island Advance
September 9, 2006
Full article
Judea Pearl, 70, a UCLA computer science professor and the father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, and Akbar Ahmed, 63, a professor of Islamic studies at American University in Washington, are among the seven winners of the first-ever Purpose Prize. San Francisco-based think tank Civic Ventures, is giving $600,000 in awards to people 60 and over who are committed to social advocacy. Pearl and Ahmed are honored for their work speaking nationwide about religious tolerance, particularly between Jews and Muslims. Not intended as a lifetime achievement award, the Purpose Prize is designed as an investment in the work the winners are currently doing to address major social problems.
"Innovator for seniors"
Miami Herald
September 8, 2006
Find this article: Miami Herald
An opinion piece: It's always gratifying when a South Floridian wins national recognition, particularly when the work that merited the acclaim began here. That's the case with Conchy Bretos, 61, one of the winners of the new $100,000 Purpose Prize. The prize honors social innovators ages 60 and up, who have used their life experience and vision to address national problems. After losing a brutal race for a Miami-Dade Commission seat in 1993, Ms. Bretos became an expert in elder-care issues. She championed and ran the country's first public-housing project with assisted-living services: the Helen Sawyer Plaza in Little Havana. She continues to help diverse communities create similar projects and improve quality of life for seniors.
"Pearl, Ahmed Awarded $100K Prize for Fight Against Intolerance"
Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
September 8, 2006
Find this article: Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
Judea Pearl and Akbar Ahmed are joint recipients of the new $100,000 Purpose Prize for their campaign against intolerance and the roots of terrorism. Pearl, 70, an authority on artificial intelligence at UCLA, is the father of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was murdered by Islamic extremists in Karachi, Pakistan in 2002. Ahmed, 63, holds the Chair in Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. He is a former Pakistani ambassador to Great Britain. Over the past two years, the two scholars have appeared before mixed Jewish, Muslim and Christian audiences in the United States and overseas and engaged in dialogues designed to promote understanding and break intolerance. "We have only two rules," Pearl says. "No topic is taboo, and we and the audience will behave with civility."
Wilson Goode - profile
CNN Headline News
By Valerie Morris
September 8, 2006
Full article
CNN reporter Valerie Morris profiles one of the winners of Civic Ventures' new Purpose Prize - former Philadelphia mayor Wilson Goode. ** on September 9, 2006, CNN's In the Money also covers Wilson Goode's selection as one of the 2006 Purpose Prize recipients.
"Civic Ventures Awards First Purpose Prizes to Older Americans"
Philanthropy News Digest
September 7, 2006
Full article
Civic Ventures has announced the winners of its first Purpose Prize, a new initiative to invest in Americans over the age of 60 working to bring about social change through innovation. Selected by a jury of leaders in business, politics, journalism, the arts, and the nonprofit sector, the five winners -- including two pairs of co-winners -- will each receive $100,000 to address long-standing societal problems. Winners include Judea Pearl, father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, and Akbar Ahmed, a professor of Islamic studies and envoy to Muslims in the United States and abroad. Together, they speak and lead discussions on religious tolerance, linking their stories to a call for reconciliation and providing a forum for moderate Muslims in the U.S.
"A Goode Thing"
Philadelphia Daily News
September 6, 2006
Find this article: Philadelphia Daily News
Editorial - Former Mayor W. Wilson Goode has discovered that the key to a successful and productive retirement is to figure out who you want to be next. After serving as mayor, Goode became a reverend, and founded Amachi, a mentoring program that links African American church folk with the children of incarcerated parents, matches an acute need to a largely untapped resource. Matching needs and untapped resources is what Civic Ventures is organized around in its drive to get older Americans busy confronting social problems. It's what made Rev. Goode an almost obvious recipient of the first Civic Ventures Purpose Prize.
"Tragedy and Opportunity"
Newsweek - Web Exclusive
By Matthew Phillips
September 6, 2006
Full article
After confirming the tragic murder of their son - Wall Street Journal Reporter Daniel Pearl - by Islamic extremists in February of 2002, Judea and Ruth Pearl founded the Daniel Pearl Foundation. The Pearls bring Muslim journalists from around the world to work as fellows in U.S. newsrooms and at Jewish papers, and their World Youth News project trains high-school students to be future journalists. For the last two years, Judea Pearl has partnered with noted Muslim scholar and former Pakistani diplomat Akbar Ahmed for a series of dialogues where the two men address conflict in the Middle East and ways in which to span the chasm between Islam and Judaism. For their work, the two have been named as winners of Civic Ventures Purpose Prize. Matthew Phillips interviews Judea and Ruth Pearl in this article.
"Former Philadelphia mayor, slain journalist's father among winners of $100,000 prizes"
Newsday
By AP - David Crary
September 5, 2006
Find this article: Newsday
Former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode is among the inaugural winners of $100,000 prizes awarded today to Americans over 60 who devised innovative ways to address tough social problems. Goode, 68, is the director of Amachi, a nonprofit helping children with parents in jail or on parole. He rallied pastors in black communities to encourage their congregants to be mentors. More than 240 programs in 48 states are now affiliated with or inspired by Amachi, and mentors have helped 30,000 children. The other winners Judea Pearl, 70, and Akbar Ahmed, 63, of Washington; Conchy Bretos, 61, of Miami; Charles Dey, 75, of Lyme, Conn; and Marilyn Gaston, 67 and Gayle Porter, 60, of Bethesda, Md. are described as well. This article also ran in the following: International Herald Tribune, Washington Post, Philadelphia Daily News, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, CBS News, San Jose Mercury News, Seattle Post Intelligencer, Forbes, Charlotte Observer, Fresno Bee, and the New Orleans Times Picayune and in smaller papers throughout the country.
"Lives of Timeless Purpose"
The Washington Post
By Sue Anne Pressley Montes
September 5, 2006
Find this article: The Washington Post
Marilyn Gaston, a physician, and Gayle Porter, a clinical psychologist are among the winners of the 2006 Civic Ventures Purpose Prize. Three years ago they started Prime Time Sister Circles - groups for African American women 40 to 70 that explore the link between physical health and emotional and mental well-being. "The bottom line of why we are so passionate about this is that black women are dying at higher rates than any other groups in the nation from heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes," Gaston says. "The main message is: Most of these deaths are preventable, and a lot of it is prevented if we can change the way we live our lives."
"Awards Honor Those Who Continue Their Labor"
LA Times
By Larry Gordon
September 5, 2006
Find this article: LA Times
To Civic Ventures, life begins anew at 60, as does eligibility for its new national Purpose Prize, which rewards Americans who work to solve society's problems and encourages them not to slow down with age. The Purpose Prize awards provide $100,000 each to five individuals and teams who were selected as role models for the huge cohort of baby boomers entering their sixties. The Purpose Prize winners are part of "a growing cadre of individuals who are harvesting their midlife experience and using it in creative and innovative ways," explains Marc Freedman, president of Civic Ventures. The 2006 winners, announced today, are highlighted. This article also ran in the Miami Herald and the Baltimore Sun.
"Winners of First 'Purpose Prize' Awards Named"
Chronicle of Philanthropy
By Suzanne Perry
September 5, 2006
Find this article: Chronicle of Philanthropy
Civic Ventures has named the first set of winners of its new Purpose Prize. The Purpose Prize was created to promotes projects that tap into the expertise of people in their later years, and that dash the stereotype of older people as burdens on society. The winners were selected by a panel of 21 business, political, arts, and nonprofit leaders headed by Sherry Lansing, chief executive of the Sherry Lansing Foundation and former chair of Paramount Pictures' Motion Picture Group. Conchy Bretos, 61, of Miami Beach, Fla. was honored for her pioneering work to bring assisted-living services to older adults in public housing. Charles Dey, 75, of Lyme, Conn. was honored for creating a program to provide job training to high-school students with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. Physician Marilyn Hughes Gaston, 67, and psychologist Gayle K. Porter, 61, of Potomac, Md. were honored for starting Prime Time Sister Circles, a program that sets up 14-week support groups to help African-American women aged 40 to 70 lead healthier lives through exercise, stress management, and good nutrition. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., 68, of Philadelphia was honored for his work as director of Amachi, a program that provides mentors to children of incarcerated parents. And Judea Pearl, 70, of Los Angeles, and Akbar Ahmed, 63, of Washington were honored for speaking and leading discussions across the country and abroad as part of the "Daniel Pearl Dialogue for Muslim-Jewish Understanding."
"Father of Slain Jewish Journalist Shares Award for Tolerance Work"
Combined Jewish Philanthropies
By Tom Tugend
September 5, 2006
Full article
The father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, Judea Pearl, and Akbar Ahmed are among the winners of the Civic Ventures $100,000 Purpose Prize for their campaign against intolerance and terrorism. Pearl, 69, is an authority on artificial intelligence at UCLA, and became a semi-public figure when his son was kidnapped and brutally murdered by Islamic extremists in Karachi, Pakistan in 2002. Pearl and his wife Ruth established a foundation in their son's name to further understanding between East and West through journalism, music and dialogue. Ahmed, 63, who is Muslim, holds the chair in Islamic Studies at American University in Washington. Over the past two years, he and Pearl have appeared before mixed Jewish, Muslim and Christian audiences in the United States and overseas in dialogues and discussions on emotional and divisive issues.
"S.F. Think Tank Hands Out Purpose Prize"
ABC 7 News - San Francisco
September 5, 2006
Find this article: ABC 7 News - San Francisco
Civic Ventures announced the winners of its inaugural Purpose Prize today. Five awards of $100,000 were given 3 individuals and two pairs of people who've made exceptional efforts to solve some of society's most pressing problems. Winners include former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode - for directing a non-profit helping thousands of children with parents in jail or on parole; and Judea Pearl, the father of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl along with Akbar Ahmed. The two professors teamed up to talk about religious tolerance after terrorists in Pakistan killed Daniel Pearl in 2002. Fifteen other finalists will each get $10,000. They include 71-year-old Barney Flynn of Sacramento. A retired farmer, he helped found a group called River Partners that has created a new way to manage flood plains and restore wildlife habitat, while using sophisticated farming techniques.
"The Winners of the Purpose Prize"
KPFK-FM 90.7 Los Angeles
By Experience Talks hosts - Bobbee Zeno, Tim Carpenter, Rebecca Novick & Darby Maloney
September 5, 2006
Audio / Transcript
In this radio interview Experience Talks hosts talk to Sherry Lansing and Marc Freedman about the winners of the 2006 Civic Ventures Purpose Prize. Former Paramount Studios head Sherry Lansing chaired the jury that selected the winners; Marc Freedman is president of Civic Ventures and created the prize. The two discuss the process and the five winners of this first-time $100,000 award for people 60 and over who make a difference in our communities
"Retirees Rewarded for Social Entrepreneurship"
NPR - All Things Considered
By Joseph Shapiro
September 4, 2006
Find this article: NPR - All Things Considered
Purpose Prize finalist Martha Rollins is profiled for her work at Boaz and Ruth. Rollins provides jobs and training to ex-prisoners at her antique and used-furniture business in Virginia. Shapiro attends a Toastmasters meeting being held at the facility and learns the stories and dreams of those Rollins helps every day.
"A New Future For California's Rivers"
ABC News - San Francisco
By Jennifer Olney
September 4, 2006
Find this article: ABC News - San Francisco
One of the finalists for Civic Ventures new Purpose Prize is a 71-year-old farmer from northern California, nominated for his remarkable work to create a bridge between agriculture and environmentalism. Eight years ago retired farmer Barney Flynn helped found a group called River Partners. Little by little they're convincing farmers to sell their riverside land to be converted back to natural forest. The pitch is part economics part altruism. River Partners has pulled together 25-million dollars in grants and government contracts to restore riverside forests. Buying the land is step one; step two is replanting the area with native plants, helping to restore water and air quality and to slow the flooding waters that regularly slam into the riverbank.
"Gauging the age of invention"
Worcester Telegram
By Andi Esposito
September 3, 2006
Find this article: Worcester Telegram
Age hasn't discouraged the serial entrepreneurialism of William F. Gasko, who started his first business when he was twelve - peddling seeds to local farmers. Now 66, Mr. Gasko is in the midst of creating an Internet television technology business and related for-profit and charitable distribution ventures. But he may be a rarity, as the risks of entrepreneurship can be difficult to stomach for aging adults. But many qualities older adults bring to the table - experience, access to capital, contacts - make them well suited to entrepreneurship. Civic Ventures views people like Gasko as an important new source of entrepreneurial activity is recognizeing and rewarding leading social entrepreneurs over 60 through its $100,000 Purpose Prize award.
Find the Right Match for Volunteer Work
Kiplinger's Retirement Report
September 2006
Full article [PDF]
Quotes Civic Ventures CEO Marc Freedman and Experience Corps CEO John Gomperts on the scarcity of meaningful volunteer opportunities for older adults.
"Making a Difference"
Wall Street Journal
By Scott R. Schmedel
August 21, 2006
Full article
For some people, the idea of a "new retirement" means more than traveling the globe or embracing a new passion; it means bettering the world around them. Often what they do is akin to starting a small business: They see a need for a service, form an organization, seek financing, and aim for an expanding venture that can help to support and perpetuate itself. Civic Ventures created the new Purpose Prize program to celebrate and reward these social entrepreneurs. The work of Robert Chambers, Martha Franck Rollins, and Bernard Flynn is described. Chamers started an organization to provide low-cost loans to low-income car buyers; Rollins created a furniture business job training program to help rehabilitate former prison inmates; and Flynn helped found the nonprofit River Partners to tackle river restoration in extended areas of California.
"Boomers take up volunteer work - if it matters"
The Seattle Times
By Marsha King
August 14, 2006
Find this article: The Seattle Times
King describes a new brand of volunteers: baby boomers and the generation just ahead of them who are skilled, mission-driven, and looking for encore careers, not stuffing envelopes and licking stamps. Some experts fear that despite their tremendous potential, many baby boomers need to be convinced that they should give back to society, and need worthwhile opportunities to do so. Civic Ventures is taking a lead role in promoting volunteerism among baby boomers through its initiative, The Next Chapter, which helps communities mobilize older citizens. A Next Chapter is forming in the Puget Sound area, with a mix of founding partners and sponsors that range from Antioch University to AARP.
"Sun co-founder receives national award"
The Johnson County Sun
By Elaine Bessier
August 10, 2006
Find this article: The Johnson County Sun
After her husband Stan died in 1997 following a series of strokes, Shirley Rose - longtime owner of a suburban community newspaper syndicate - created the American Stroke Foundation. Now operating in two Missouri locations, the foundation offers programs providing informations and services to to help stroke survivors deal with disabilities. Rose has been named a 2006 Purpose Prize Fellow to honor her social innovation and entrepreneurship. She will be recognized at the first Innovation Summit, Sept. 7-10, at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.
"Golden years"
Herald News
August 8, 2006
Find this article: Herald News
As a baby, Frank Brady, now 63, was diagnosed with spinal meningitis and given a terminal prognosis. His mother agreed to try a miraculous new drug - penicillin - and it saved his life. That early experience was the seed for the creation of Medical Missions for Children, an outreach operation Brady and his wife Peggy founded. The organization uses technology to link American and European medical experts with patients and doctors in other countries. Brady is among the fifteen Civic Ventures Purpose Prize finalists. The award was created to recognize and reward social innovators over the age of 60. In September, five of the finalists will be named as the winners of the $100,000 Purpose Prize.
"'Me Generation' becomes 'We Generation'"
USA Today
By Daniel J. Kadlec
August 2, 2006
Find this article: USA Today
Kadlec describes the transformation of the baby boomers from consumers to contributors. As a group, they are redefining retirement as a period of personal growth, giving back, and continued employment. As they remain engaged in the workforce and continue to seek out ways to give back, boomers will increasingly develop businesses designed to serve the greater good. Purpose Prize finalists Robert Chambers, 62, and Martha Rollins, 63, are doing just that. Chambers retired to start a nonprofit that makes low-interest car loans to the working poor in New Hampshire, and Rollins runs a furniture company staffed by former convicts in Virginia.
" A Car Salesman You Can Trust"
Time Magazine
By Daniel Kadlec
July 23, 2006
Find this article: Time Magazine
After a career in the computer industry, Robert Chambers, 62, took a job selling cars to generate some income with fewer hours. But he quickly tired of "watching guys high-five behind glass walls" after bullying low income people into overpaying. So he created Bonnie CLAC(Car Loans and Counseling), a nonprofit that negotiates fair car prices for the working poor and offers them low-rate loans. In five years, he has underwritten $10 million in car loans, saving his clients thousands of dollars. He has been named as one of fifteen finalists for Civic Ventures' Purpose Prize, which will award $100,000 each to five people who are over 60 and making a difference in the world.
"Retiree leads hometown revival"
Richmond Times Dispatch
By Sue Lindsey
July 10, 2006
Find this article: Richmond Times Dispatch
When Dewey Houck, 71, decided to use his retirement years for meaningful volunteer work, he retunred home to Mullens, VA. The old coal town was crippled by a 25 percent poverty level. Just as Houck got involved, the community was hit with the worst flood in its history. The Rural Appalachian Improvement League, under Houck's direction, worked to revive the town and stuck around after the flood waters receded to establish programs including adult literacy education, health and fitness, and community theater. He has been named one of Fellows in Civic Ventures' Purpose Prize program, which honors older Americans making outstanding social contributions in their communities.
"60 Is The New 40
CBS News - San Francisco
By Mike Sugarman
July 6, 2006
Find this article: CBS News - San Francisco
Millions of baby boomers turn 60 this year, including President Bush, who hit that milestone this week. But the generation that didn't trust anyone over 30 is refusing to grow old. Among those is Evelyn Ostergren, 65, who works full days at Civic Ventures in San Francisco. She is a leader among a group changing the definition of aging, and says, "I have a good twenty years at least ahead of me. The question is: What do I want to do now? Do I want to still be where I am now? Or do I want to start doing things I couldn't when I was raising a family and married and had those responsibilities?"
"To the leading edge of the boomers, 30 once looked over the hill. Not anymore."
MarketWatch
July 6, 2006
Full article
In this editorial comment, MarketWatch suggests President Bush, who just turned 60, might turn to the Purpose Prize for inspiration for his post-office life. Retiring as president Jan 20, 2009, Bush could follow the example of this year's Purpose Prize finalists, all older Americans being recognized for their entrepreneurial contributions making a difference in other peoples' lives.
"Older entrepreneurs rewrite retirement rules"
MarketWatch
By Andrea Coombes
July 5, 2006
Find this article: MarketWatch
President Bush turned 60 this week. If he's wondering what to do in the years after he leaves office, he might take some ideas from the finalists for the Purpose Prize... Robert Chambers, 61, is one of fifteen finalists. A former New Hampshire car salesman, he started a nonprofit to arrange low-interest-rate auto loans and to provide financial-education workshops for low-income people. Martha Rollins, 63, started a nonprofit in Virginia to offer job-training programs to ex-convicts at a variety of small nonprofit businesses including a moving company, a cafÃ©, and a furniture restoration company. And Benjamin Hooks, 81, a former head of the NAACP, founded the Children's Health Forum to work to eradicate lead poisoning in children.
"River work keeps senior rolling along
Sacramento Bee
By Nancy Weaver Teichert
July 3, 2006
Find this article: Sacramento Bee
Bernard Flynn, 71, is the founder of River Partners, a nonprofit group that has planted 4,000 acres of river shoreline with a half-million native plants. He is one of 15 national finalists being honored in Civic Ventures Purpose Prize program. A former prune and almond farmer, Flynn drew on his extensive farming experience and utilized a variety of innovative techniques to replant the riparian forests along five rivers in the Central Valley of California. His efforts have made it possible for River Partners, at a low cost, to do successful restoration, which allows natural overflow to prevent flooding, shelters wildlife, prevents soil erosion, and creates parks
"The Best Part Comes in the Third Act"
New York Times
By Lisa Belkin
July 2, 2006
Find this article: New York Times
Inspired by her own mother, Belkin envisions her own "third act," a time Civic Ventures president Marc Freedman calls "a new phase of life, between midlife and true old age," and a time of staggering potential for the common good. Belkin's mother, now in her 60's, is convinced older workers can be a boon for the workplace, but has met resistance from employers in her own job searching. This year Civic Ventures will award its first Purpose Prizes: $100,000 to each of five winners, all over 60, who are changing the world for the better. As one finalist, Herb Sturz says, "This is a rebuke to ageism and an affirmation of the importance of work."
"Restoration Work Wins Recognition"
Oroville Mercury-Register
By Heather Hacking
July 2, 2006
Find this article: Oroville Mercury-Register
Longtime nut and prune farmer Bernard Flynn helped found River Partners, a nonprofit restoration group, in 1998. When his own land was threatened by flood in the late 1990's, Flynn sought help, but came up empty handed. So Flynn worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to sell the agency 500 acres along the Sacramento River. The deal involved Flynn putting in native habitat on 50 of those acres. His effots resulted in an unheard of 80 percent survival rate for the native plantings. The process became a model for later River Partners projects. Now working on five of California's rivers, the group has restored about 4,000 acres and planted half a million native trees and shrubs. Flynn is being honored as a Civic Ventures Purpose Prize finalist.
"The Purpose Prize - Nudging America toward realization of its experience dividend"
NYC Plus
By Trudy Whitman
July 1, 2006
Full article
Whitman focuses on Civic Ventures latest program, the Purpose Prize, three-year initiative of investment in social entrepreneurs over the age of 60 through funding, networking opportunities, and project assistance. Beginning this year, Civic Ventures will award five $100,000 grants to individuals who are using their creativity and experience to solve social problems on the local, regional, or national level. Civic Ventures Executive Vice President Jim Emerman heads the Prize program and says cash prize programs "raise the visibility of the recipients in an important way. They indicate that these people are worth serious investment." The end result, he hopes, "will be to change the way society views older adults."
"Hooks recognized as social innovator"
Memphis Daily News
June 28, 2006
Find this article: Memphis Daily News
Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks has been named one of 15 finalists in Civic Venture's first-ever Purpose Prize. Hooks is being recognized for his efforts in preventing childhood exposure to lead poisoning. Working with former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp, Hooks founded the Children's Health Forum and selected lead poisoning as its focus. Hooks and Kemp worked with Congress to secure a $50 million appropriation for use in communities with the highest incidence of childhood lead poisoning.
"North Carolina activist among finalists for new over-60 prizes"
WWAY - News Channel 3
June 26, 2006
Find this article: WWAY - News Channel 3
Dagney Jochem, 65, of Durham, North Carolina has helped raise awareness of H-I-V and AIDS. She is among the finalists for five 100-thousand dollar prizes being awarded for the first time to Americans over age 60. The winners have used their experience and skills to tackle social problems. Fifteen finalists were named today (June 26) for the inaugural Purpose Prize. Each wins ten-thousand dollars, and five will be chosen in September for the 100-thousand dollar prizes.
"Philanthropist wins $10G for his charity"
Asbury Park Press
By AP
June 26, 2006
Full article
Frank J. Brady, 63, was named one of 15 people nationwide to win $10,000 prizes as finalists in the first Purpose Prize program, which recognizes social innovators over the age of 60. Five of those finalists will win $100,000 awards. A survivor of childhood illness, Brady has spent much of his retirement helping children facing catastrophic illness, as well as educating their doctors. In 1999, Brady and his wife, Peggy, founded Medical Missions for Children, based at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson.
"Retired CEO of Tenneco recognized for higher Purpose
Houston Chronicle
By Jeannie Kever
June 26, 2006
Find this article: Houston Chronicle
With baby boomers starting to turn 60, life is suddenly all about second acts. Jim Ketelsen was in on the game early. In 1988, Ketelsen, then CEO of Tenneco, zeroed in on education policy, starting a program at Davis High School to encourage low-income students to not only finish high school but also go on to college. He has now been selected as one of the fifteen finalists for Civic Ventures' Purpose Prize. He is the running for one of the five $100,000 awards, and has already secured $10,000 for his organzation, Project GRAD.
"Finalists Named in 'Purpose Prize' for Older Americans Tackling Social Ills"
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
June 26, 2006
Find this article: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
The Purpose Prize program - which honors those 60 and older who are working to solve social problems - has named fifteen finalists. The finalists include a former mayor who helps children of incarcerated parents, a retired businessman who created an organization to assist seriously ill children, and a woman who started an association to help caregivers of chronically ill people. A panel of nonprofit, business, cultural, and political leaders will award $100,000 "Purpose Prizes" to five of the finalists, who are aged 60 to 81, in September. All fifteen finalists are named with brief descriptions.
"Boaz and Ruth president is finalist for innovation award"
Richmond Times- Dispatch
By Betty Booker
June 26, 2006
Find this article: Richmond Times- Dispatch
Martha Franck Rollins, 63, well known around Richmond, Virginia as the founder of a large antique store, is among the finalists for the Purpose Prize. The Prize recognizes and encourages mature social innovators. In 2002, Rollins founded Boaz and Ruth, a nonprofit organization that helps former inmates develop job skills by working in a used furniture store. "The prisons are filled with gifted people," she says. "They just use their talents in the wrong direction."
"Lebanon man honored for program offering car loans to the poor"
Boston Globe
By Anne Saunders
June 26, 2006
Find this article: Boston Globe
Robert Chambers, 61, of Lebanon, New Hampshire, created Bonnie CLAC almost five years ago after he saw too many poor people buying rundown cars or paying high interest rates on car loans. The program educates clients about finances and guarantees bank loans, enabling them to buy reliable cars. The organization also accepts donated cars and repairs them for use by clients working to pay back debts or clean up credit. For his efforts, Chambers has been named as one of fifteen finalists for the Purpose Prize, a Civic Ventures program rewarding older social innovators. *** this article was also published in the Union Leader, in Manchester, NH.
"Filled With New Purpose"
The Philadelphia Inquirer
By Michael Vitez
June 26, 2006
Full article
W. Wilson Goode Sr., 68, a former Philadelphia mayor, says he's more energized, satisfied, and committed to his work than he's ever been. Goode is the director of Amachi, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring the children of prisoners. Amachi helps train volunteers, recruited from churches, to meet weekly with these vulnerable children, providing them love, guidance, support, and a path leading someplace other than behind bars. Goode is being has been named as one of the fifteen finalists for Civic Ventures Purpose Prize.
Finalists for Over-60 Prizes to Be Named
San Francisco Chronicle, The Herald Sun
By AP National Writer David Crary
June 25, 2006
Find this article: San Francisco Chronicle, The Herald Sun
The fifteen finalists for the Purpose were named today (June 26) for the inaugural Purpose Prize; each wins $10,000, and five will be chosen in September for the $100,000 prizes. The prizes are being awarded for the first time to Americans over age 60 who have used their experience and skills to tackle social problems. Included among the group are the father of slain journalist Daniel Pearl, a former head of the NAACP and a former mayor of Philadelphia. *article also appeared in the Herald Sun
U.S. News: Work adds meaning to later life
U.S. News & World Report
June 12, 2006
Full article
The article from the June 12 issue of U.S. News & World Report highlights comments from a 2005 essay in the Chronicle of Philanthropy by Experience Corps CEO John Gomperts and Civic Ventures CEO Marc Freedman, noting that, "Although many seniors choose volunteerism -- from serving as aides in hospitals or libraries to tutoring youngsters in public schools -- for others, the idea of building upon their lifetime of work experience, or stretching it out in new ways, has an irresistible appeal."
"Boomers create new kind of retirement"
NBC Nightly News
By Don Teague
May 30, 2006
Full article
Teague describes a generation of vigorous boomer retirees who, as Civic Ventures president Marc Freedman says, are "not only expanding the definition of activity and expanding the definition of retirement, but actually creating something entirely new a stage of life that hasn't existed before."
"A little part-time work makes for fine 'retirement'
Orange County Register
By Jane Hass
May 28, 2006
Find this article: Orange County Register
Columnist Jane Hass, age 69, works 20 hours a week for a creatively thinking employer. More and more people approaching retirement age are choosing to continue working, either from financial necessity or personal choice. The challenge to employers is to figure out a strategy for retaining highly skilled older workers.
"Pioneered in Phila., a reading program may help redefine how America views aging"
Philadelphia Inquirer
By Michael Vitez
May 11, 2006
Find this article: Philadelphia Inquirer
Vitez focuses on Experience Corps volunteers working in Philadelphia. Working one on one with students, older adult volunteers witness signifigant jumps in student reading scores first hand. Supporters of Experience Corps say the program (now operating in 40 Philadelphia schools and in 13 other American cities) could pair an immense need - up to 10 million American children who read poorly - with a vast resource: a new generation of healthy retirees with the time, patience and desire to help. The first comprehensive, independent evaluation of Experience Corps will begin in the fall, conducted by Washington University in St. Louis.
"Avoiding the Volunteer Trap"
Wall Street Journal, ComputerWorld
By Kelly Greene
April 24, 2006
Full article
Volunteering clearly pays off - in health benefits, relationships, and satisfaction. But finding the right match can be more challenging than you think; Many eager volunteers fall into dead end positions. Greene offers tips to find find the best fit expediently. Marc Freedman and John Gomperts are quoted.
* This story was also picked up by ComputerWorld.
"Trouble Transitioning? Just Hire a Coach"
New York Times
By John Leland
April 11, 2006
Find this article: New York Times
Along with the boom in baby boomers approaching retirement comes the boom of retirement and "life" coaches, reflecting a growing gap between the stereotypes people have about retirement and how they imagine themselves at 60 and older. Now joining the fray is the financial services industry. Why? Marc Freedman, President of Civic Ventures says they are "spending hundreds of millions of dollars selling expectations about what you're supposed to accomplish at a juncture where there's a lot of uncertainty and few established pathways or role models, so people are turning someplace for help." Over the last decade, as later generations have approached the end of their work years with longer life expectancies and greater resources, financial institutions are moving into the murky area of life planning - an undefined regimen that involves soul-searching, emotional self-examination and motivational counseling.
"Civic custodians - Volunteers in traditional groups are aging: Will boomers take over?"
Richmond Times Dispatch
By Betty Booker
April 10, 2006
Find this article: Richmond Times Dispatch
The nation's almost 78 million baby boomers are between the ages of 42 and 60. Most still work. Will they take to volunteering with the same gusto as did earlier generations of retirees? Marc Freedman, President of Civic Ventures, says "many boomers just aren't wired for volunteering in the way that their parents were." While many boomers will still seek income, they'll look for ways to do so while working for the greater good. As those changes happen, Freedman predicts a "win-win-win" for boomers, the sectors that need their help, and greater society as a whole.
"Project Helps Seniors Rethink Retirement Years"
NPR - All Things Considered
By Joseph Shapiro
April 8, 2006
Find this article: NPR - All Things Considered
Among retired men, the happiest, according to a study in the current issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, are those who say their lives have a sense of purpose, who have activities they really enjoyed. To learn more, Shapiro focuses on one of six new lifelong learning and development centers in Cuyahoga County in Ohio. They're part of the Successful Aging Initiative (funded by the Cleveland Foundation)aimed at changing how the people in Cuyahoga County think about what it means to grow old.
"Get Ready Get Set KA-Boom"
Big Builder Online
By Matthew Grimm
April 1, 2006
Full article
As 76 million boomers reach retirement over the next two decades, home builders might anticipate a profound impact on their business -- lots of interest in traditional and even 'active living' retirement communities. But if they too heavily on a coming windfall, builders may be in for a rude awakening. Boomers are increasingly disinterested in sunny, remote, age-restricted communities offering a life of golf. Instead, they're moving toward greater engagement in the larger (multi-age) community, increased years of employment, and proximity to their families.
"Benevolent Boomers"
What's Next? Magazine
By Alfred Gingold
April 2006
Full article
Gingold describes a generation of boomers ready to revolutonize traditional concepts of retirement and old age, and provides a detailed description of the Civic Ventures' programs - Experience Corps, the Still Working Documentary Project, the Next Chapter, and the Purpose Prize. Civic Ventures President Marc Freedman is quoted extensively.
Baby Boomers Demand Constant Activity in Arizona Retirement
NPR Morning Edition
By Ted Robbins
March 15, 2006
Audio / Transcript
Robbins describes the changes in the Arizona retirement community Sun City. One of the first on the scene, Sun City was a revolutionary concept when it was first introduced; retirement communities promoting an active lifestyle revamped traditional ideas about retirement life. Civic Ventures President Marc Freedman has studied Sun City and says while the Sun City idea was initially revoluntionary, it must now change to meet the needs and demands of the baby boomers.
"New Breed of Entrepreneurs"
National Public Radio
By Alex Cohen
March 11, 2006
Audio / Transcript
Say goodbye to the golden years and hello to spread sheets. Baby boomers are joining the small business boom. Civic Ventures President Marc Freedman is interviewed.
"Aging at Home: For a Lucky Few, a Wish Come True"
New York Times
By Jane Gross
February 9, 2006
Full article
Community-based models for aging - like Beacon Hill Village in Boston -may well be the wave of the future. An alternative to nursing homes and assisted living centers, groups like Beacon Hill Village - an innovative nonprofit - are being created by and for community residents determined to grow old in familiar surroundings. The organziation will publish a how-to manual next month and should encourage imitations nationwide, according to Judy Goggin, a vice president at Civic Ventures.
"The Graying Of The Boomer Generation"
CBS News
February 5, 2006
Find this article: CBS News
Seventy eight million baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. The oldest of the group hit 60 this year, verging near traditional retirement age. How to categorize such a broad group? Steve Gillon, author of Boomer Nation, argues the boomers can be divided into two groups: those who have some recollection of the Kennedy assisnation and those who don't, or those who embrace a generational pushing of the boundaries and those who think such free spritedness erodes soceital authority.
"Marc Freedman: Over the hill and gathering speed"
The Providence Journal
February 2, 2006
Full article
As the baby boomers begin to turn 60, much emphasis has been on the negative. Will they swamp social security? But there's a bright side to this societal shift. Boomers represent an untapped resource: The best educated, healthiest and wealthiest group to move through their fifties and beyond, they're primed to help address pivotal societal needs. And many are interested in doing so. The key is to find programs that will enable moving from their current work into flexible work for the greater good.
"First wave of baby boomers pursues a high-energy lifestyle"
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
By Gary Rotstein
January 23, 2006
Full article
In the second of a series, "Boomers at 60", Rotstein focuses on baby boomers aiming for a new version of retirement. With greater interest and incentive to keep working, boomers both anticipate and seem to desire ongoing employment. And with age discrimination in private industry fading - as Civic Ventures President Marc Freedman suggests - they will have greater opportunity. Along with continued work, many boomers want to engage in a physically active and adventurous lifestyle.
"Hold off on the boom-and-doom talk"
LA Times
By Julie Kosterlitz and Marilyn Werber Serafini
January 16, 2006
Full article [FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED]
In this editorial, Julie Kosterlitz and Marilyn Werber Serafini challenge the fiscal doomsday predictions that some budget experts anticipate as the baby boomers turn 60. Rather than decimating Social Security funds and overwhelming Medicare, Americans may age with less fiscal brutishness, thanks to their collective ingenuity and adaptive contributions. Many will continue to work, encouraged by governement and private programs - including Civic Ventures Purpose Prize. This article - originally published in the National Journal- has appeared in syndication elsewhere including: the Honolulu Advertiser, the Salt Lake Star Tribune, the St.Louis Post Dispatch
"A big generation starts to turn 60"
Atlanta Journal Constitution
By Bill Hendrick
January 15, 2006
Full article [FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED]
Hendrick paints a vivid and colorful portrait of the baby boomers, focusing on 60-year old Jimmy "Hip" Edmondson. A player in Jean Paul Gaultier shades and died blond hair, Edmondson is nonetheless typical of many in his generation: still living idealistically and adventurously, volunteering in his community, affected daily by his experience in Vietnam, and an active trader on the stock market.
Senior Scene
The Arizona Republic
January 14, 2006
Full article
Provides a brief description of the Purpose Prize with details on how to nominate outstanding candidates.
"Baby Boomers Challenge Notion of Retirement"
ABC News
By Lisa Stark and Megan Carpenter
January 10, 2006
Full article
ABC News zeroes in on the reinvention of retirement - baby boomers thriving through the blending of work, family, and leisure. Brief profiles are included of: Joseph Confield, now working in the Troops to Teachers program; and Dr. Rogers McLane, a former family practitioner now volunteering in a low-income medical clinic.
"Retirees return to work in search of fulfillment"
Chicago Tribune
By Janet Kidd Stewart
January 8, 2006
Full article [FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED]
Increasing numbers of Americans are returning to work after retirement, and many are doing so not primarily for income, but rather for fulfillment. Susie Cavanaugh, a former history teacher, now works for United Way where she recruits minority candidates for non-profit board positions near her Lexington, Ky., home.
'Older heroes eligible for prize money"
The Minneapolis Star Tribune
By Peg Meier
January 4, 2006
Full article [FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED]
Meier provides a detailed description of the Purpose Prize, including details on how to nominate outstanding candidates. Two Twin Cities men - Jerr Boschee and Don Schmitz - are profiled as examples of baby boomers who, like many of their peers, crave social service work. The two men have managed to balance the desire for social contribution with old notions of retirement and looming financial and personal responsibilities. A better "road map" for achieving such a balance is sorely needed, suggest Civic Ventures leaders.
"Boomers Changing the World Again"
Charlotte Observer
By Pam Kelley
January 3, 2006
Full article [SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED]
Harnessing the energy and intellect of 77 million baby boomers - that's the focus of several new campaigns aimed at reawakening the energy and idealism of the boomers. The Corporation for National and Community Service is launching a "Get Involved" campaign, urging boomers to "lead, inspire, change the world. Again." Civic Ventures has created the new Purpose Prize, which will fund five $100,000 investments in people over age 60 using their experience and creativity to address critical social problems.
"Prime Living Notes"
Richmond Times Dispatch
January 2, 2006
Full article
Includes a description of the Purpose Prize with details on how to nominate outstanding candidates for consideration.
"Baby boomers are taking aging on their own terms"
The Salt Lake Tribune
By Brooke Adams
January 1, 2006
Full article [SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED]
The oldest of the baby boomers were born in 1946; they turn 60 this year, and in doing so, greet their sixth decades with unprecedented vitality and health. As a generation, the boomers were raised with choices, and they will continue to expect choices in opportunity and direction as they age. Many will continue to work, both out of interest and financial necessity. Marc Freedman, co-founder of Civic Ventures, hopes to tap into those boomers seeking fulfillment in work that blends income with opportunities to serve.

More Civic Ventures in the News

Reframing the debate

Civic Ventures ideas and information fuel media coverage that counterbalances the typically negative reporting on older Americans.

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