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Inspiring Opportunities Free E-Newsletter |
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Featured Story |
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Longtime friends Jane Brooks and Joyce Burd decided to combine their skills, Jane as a writer and Joyce as an arts administrator, to bring ballroom dancing to 5th grade classrooms in Philadelphia.
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Do Good The wealth of knowledge and experience we acquire over time influences our values and interests and often leads to a desire to “give back” and make a difference. From politics to the environment, opportunities abound. The only question left is, “Where do I begin?”
Being There for Those in Need
For older adults living at home, the regular visits and help provided by Senior Companions can be what gets them up in the morning...and keeps them going. John Antsy, a 78-year-old, does his good deeds 20 hours a week as part of the federally-funded Senior Corps. Among Mr. Antsy's tasks are bringing one couple groceries and prescriptions, spending time with an isolated woman tethered to an oxygen tank, and providing respite for a caregiving wife. He is one of the 13,600 Senior Companions --all older than 55--who served nearly 61,000 clients nationally last year. More than 40 percent of the companions are over 74. To learn more about this stipended program, click here.
Goodbye Prozac, Hello Neighbor
If you want a drug-free way of lifting your depression, research suggests that if you do something nice for someone else, you will feel better about yourself and more positive about what is happening around you. The studies talk about "positive activity interventions" -- things like helping someone with groceries, writing a thank you note, or even counting your blessings -- that can lift your mood. Positive activity interventions come in a variety of forms, including: being kind to others, expressing gratitude, thinking optimistically, and meditating on the good things in life. I already feel better linking you to this article!
Have a Ball!
Get on your cultural attire or go semi-formal to the AARP Multicultural Ball being held tonight at The Shops at Liberty Place, 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. It will be an action-packed evening of cultural performances, singing, dancing, and food from around the world. As part of Drive to End Hunger, AARP Foundation's multi-year commitment to solve the problem of hunger among older Americans, bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to a local food bank. Tickets are $10 and need to be picked up by 4 p.m., call (267) 825-9923 for information.
The much-awaited news of the 2011 Purpose Prize winners has been announced by Civic Ventures! Five outstanding age 60+ social entrepreneurs will receive $100,000 for using their passion and experience to make an extraordinary impact on some of society’s biggest challenges. This year, for the first time, one of the five prizes – The Purpose Prize for Intergenerational Innovation – will be sponsored by AARP. Through a collaboration with Civic Ventures, Coming of Age can help arrange to have a Purpose Prize winner speak to your organization; click here to find out more.
Some great news to share! The Intergenerational Center at Temple University, one of Coming of Age's four founding partners, is the first recipient of the prestigious Eisner Prize for Intergenerational Excellence. The Eisner Foundation established this annual $100,000 cash award to honor the individual or non-profit organization doing exemplary work to help senior citizens and young people help each other. Temple's program, founded by Dr. Nancy Henkin, thirty-two years ago, offers a variety of programs from its base in Philadelphia to 23 communities throughout the country. To read more...
Volunteering Costs
Anyone who has volunteered or been involved in training, placing, and managing volunteers knows that it can be costly. Volunteers often have to take time away from family or work to be available, as well as travel to and from work locations. With the present economy causing nonprofits to downsize their staff while the needs of communities keep racheting up, a bill has been presented to the U.S. House of Representatives to grant volunteers a tax deduction for miles driven for charitable causes. Click to learn more and to show your support for this bill.
Generations United Awards Submissions
Generations United seeks nominations for individuals and organizations that make significant contributions towards rethinking and revitalizing intergenerational connections. Categories include: grandfamilies award, innovation award, leadership for outstanding support of intergenerational programs, outstanding older adult volunteer, outstanding youth volunteer, shared site award, and the Brabazon Award for Research Evaluation. For guidelines and the application form, click here. Send submissions to awise@gu.org or mail to 1331 H Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20005 by March 31, 2011.
Purpose Prize Nominations Open
Do you know someone over 60 in an encore career who is developing new solutions to social problems? The Purpose Prize, created by Civic Ventures, is looking for 10 people to win up to $100,000 each to support their work solving some of our most pressing social issues – from health care to the environment, poverty to education. You can nominate a parent, a co-worker, a friend, or yourself! To get an idea of the types of projects past winners have been recognized for, click here. Nominations need to be in by March 31st...click here to complete the nomination.
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