About Us

In 2001, representatives from four Philadelphia-based organizations, The Intergenerational Center at Temple University, PBS/NPR station WHYY, AARP Pennsylvania, and United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, attended a conference in San Francisco sponsored by Civic Ventures. The conference was called Coming of Age and explored the then "new" notion that people 50+ represent a tremendous resource for our country.

On their return to Philadelphia, the representatives from these four groups decided to create an initiative, named Coming of Age, that would provide programs to operationalize what they learned.

Since its launch in 2002, Coming of Age has helped people 50+ explore their future; connect and contribute through opportunities, both paid and unpaid, in their communities; and provided training to nonprofits about how to build their capacity to capture the energy and expertise of this population.

In addition to the Philadelphia-based initiative, Coming of Age has “replicated” the model in a number of sites throughout the country; they include Delaware State, Kansas City, MO, Central Pennsylvania, and San Francisco, with more to come.

Funding for Coming of Age has been generously provided by The Atlantic Philanthropies, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, AARP, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the Deerbrook Charitable Trust, the Barra Fund, Verizon, the Jesse Ball duPont Fund, a private donor and others.