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The Purpose Prize: social innovators who meld money & meaning
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"Helping society achieve the greatest return on experience, " states the tag line for The Purpose Prize, an initiative of Civic Ventures' Encore Career Campaign. The non-profit think tank has just announced its 2009 winners.
They are 60-plus social innovators who have rewired their retirement work life direction, engaging in what's increasingly becoming known as "encore careers." Awarded as much as $100,000 to do the work they're passionate about, they're tackling problems "facing our communities and the world," by embracing the skills and experience they've accumulated over the course of their lives. Boomers with purpose and passion whose profits are not only financial, but manifest as societal messages of change.
It's heartening to see the incredible diversity in those chosen for the Purpose Prize this year. (Click here to read their profiles) From a psychiatrist who recruits therapists to help veterans, to a computer executive who built a substance abuse program based on Native American beliefs - to a couple who dealt with the tragedy of losing a son on 9/11 by helping other victims of terror and trauma. It's this last couple who really lit my fire when I watched their video and read their story.
Elizabeth and Stephen Alderman lost their youngest child Peter in the September 11th terror attacks. The grief stricken parents consumed the pain, and transcended the chaos by redirecting their energy into helping other victims of trauma across the globe. Their story is incredibly inspiring to me personally. Not only in the way they responded to their sons death by honoring his memory, but by their work.
While my primary niche has been work life culture and exalting the human experience in the workplace, my other work, some of it as a volunteer, has been around working with the dying and reporting for The World Vision Report on the resilience of victims of trauma. The Aldermans work touched me personally. Please take a look at their story and do check out the other amazing people and causes.
Encore Careers is already taking nominations for the 2010 Purpose Prize. The process is open until March 5, 2010. You can get to the application process by clicking here. While this years winners will garner attention, to continue the momentum of highlighting such worthy causes, spread the word. Mere attention to such pursuits just might kick start the idea of a percolating social innovator, who needs just a little inspiration to get out of the gate.
Contact Judy at JudyMartinSpeaks.com and check out her other blog, WorkLifeNation.com.
