Do you know someone over the age of 60 who is engaged in an encore career?  Encore careers combine personal meaning and social impact with continued work in the second half of life.

Ann Higdon isn’t your average baby boomer.  Inspired by her own difficult childhood, she’s now running a nonprofit that helps disadvantaged teens in Dayton, Ohio, turn their lives around. She’s also one of 10 people to win the 2009 Purpose Prize for changing lives – starting with her own.

The 2010 Purpose Prize is accepting nominations, including self-nominations, at Encore Careers by March 5, 2010.

The eligibility criteria:

• Be at least 60 years old (by the deadline of March 5, 2010).
• Be a legal resident of the U.S. (including U.S. territories).
• Be someone who has initiated important innovations (in a new or ongoing organization) in an encore career.
• Be currently working in a leadership capacity in an organization or institution (public, private, nonprofit, or for-profit) to address a major social problem in the United States or abroad.
• Have initiated important innovations (in a new or ongoing organization), and have demonstrated recent creativity and leadership with the promise of more to come.

Ann’s organization, Improved Solutions for Urban Systems (ISUS), helps high school dropouts get their degrees and build careers.  Her students not only get a high school education, they also learn job skills in health care, computer operation and construction. Many students take their training and use it to improve their community, such as building homes in run-down neighborhoods.

The Purpose Prize is looking for 10 people over age 60 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.

 Find out more about criteria and eligibility at Encore Careers.

As the horror of the magnitude of suffering continues to unfold in Haiti  the call for donations to help continues.  As you consider your donation options, make sure you know where your money is going and that it is being directed to efforts in Haiti.

Unfortunately, online and telephone phishing scams will  proliferate. Here’s an article from SmartMoney with tips on how to give during this crisis.

 The article recommends:

* Stick with established groups.

* Assess the charity’s plans – how will your donation be used; what’s the charity’s history of the amount of a donation that goes toward administration and toward relief.

* Designate your gift – if you want your donation to be used specifically for Haiti relief efforts, say so.

* Write a check rather than use plastic – less of your donation will be eaten up by fees.  If you are texting a donation, the transaction fee may be waived. Find out.

* Watch out for phishing scams – make sure the site you are at is the “official site”.  If you get a call, don’t provide your credit card number.  Your best bet is to ask where you can send a donation by mail or call them directly to make sure you are reaching the official charity.

 The U.S. Better Business Bureau runs this website where you can check whether the group you are thinking of donating to is legitimate.

 A list of groups and links from Google.

The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

Everyday we read about the results of research studies that give us a new clue into a medical condition or disease or some aspect of aging or development.  

Have you ever wondered how to find a research project to participate in?

Now there’s a new website that matches researchers with those interested in participating in research projects.  It’s called ResearchMatch .

Anyone can join ResearchMatch.  Many studies are looking for healthy people of all ages, while some are looking for people with specific health conditions. ResearchMatch can help ‘match’ you with any type of research study, ranging from surveys to clinical trials, always giving you the choice to decide what studies may interest you.

There are over 52 institutions that participate in the ResearchMatch network.

NIH (National Institutes of Health) said in announcing the new website that, “”NIH data indicates that 85 percent of trials don’t finish on time due to low patient participation, and 30 percent of trial sites fail to enroll even a single patient. We aim to help combat these challenges with ResearchMatch.”

There’s lots of talk these days about working well into what used to be “the retirement years.”  One way people are doing that is by following a passion and becoming a social entrepreneur and making a difference, engaging in what is called “encore careers.”

This week five social innovators received Purpose Prize awards of $100,000 each and five others received awards of $50,000. They include:

• A former telecom executive who helped wire an Appalachian county and brought laid-off factory workers back to profitable farming.
• A professor who invented a way to transform toxic fly ash into green bricks.
• A psychiatrist who helps saves soldiers’ lives by offering free mental health treatment.
• A former NASA exec who works to treat alcoholism in Native American communities by reviving old customs and traditions.
• A couple who honor their son, killed on 9/11, by helping to bring mental health services to countries ravaged by terrorism, violence and war.

You can read more about the winners and see videos about their projects at http://www.encore.org. We think you’ll find them  inspiring.  There were more than 1000 nominees for this year’s prizes. 

“More than ever, the problems facing our communities, our country and our world call out for creative solutions,” said Marc Freedman, co-founder of The Purpose Prize and author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life. “Fortunately, we don’t run out of ideas as we age.”

If you know someone – or are yourself a social entrepreneur over 60 – nominations for the 2010 awards are open until March 5, 2010. The application information is located here.

Motivated to find your own Encore career?  You’ll find lots of helpful information at this non-profit site — http://www.encore.org.

Congress and President Barack Obama have declared Sept. 11 a national day of service and remembrance. At http://www.911dayofservice.org, people have posted their plans to volunteer; among them are folks who intend to collect coats and other winter clothing to deliver to a local shelter, help a friend who suffers from muscular sclerosis or pick up trash along a country road.

Why volunteer?

• Volunteering makes you feel needed.
• Volunteering can lead to learning new skills.
• Volunteering can help you deal with some of your personal problems.
• Volunteering helps you meet new people.
• Volunteering can create new contacts which may help your business or career.

Don’t know where to find a volunteer opportunity to match your interests?  Here are a few websites that can connect you to local groups who need your help:

VolunteerMatch.org –taps into the millions of online users who may be willing to donate money to a good cause or lend a hand, expanding the reach of nonprofits that typically have limited marketing and recruitment funds. You’ll find all types of volunteer opportunities.

Serve.gov – a government site that where you can search for opportunities and post your own project to find volunteers.

Idealist.org – a project of Action Without Borders, Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters.

One of the best ways to stay healthy and active as we age is to be engaged with others.  Whether you are still working or retired, volunteering can be a great way to meet new people, keep your mind and body active and feel good.

What’s your favorite volunteer activity?