By Suzanne Braun Levine,
Civic Ventures Board Member
I joined the Board of Civic Ventures in 2009, and one of the most inspiring elements of their mission is the discovery and celebration of outstanding social entrepreneurs in the Encore stage of life. The winners of the Purpose Prize have been selected from hundreds of nominees, and having had the honor of being one of the judges, I can tell you that the choices were tough to make; there were many resourceful and courageous candidates for this year’s prizes.
The Purpose Prize is the nation’s only large-scale investment in people over 60 who are combining their passion and experience for social good. Sherry Lansing, CEO, The Lansing Foundation and Chair, Purpose Prize panel of judges has said, that: “The Purpose Prize isn’t a lifetime achievement award. It’s an investment in what these encore innovators – all over 60 – will do next.”
Meet the 2011 Winners of the Purpose Prize – five people who will receive $100,000 each – for improving their communities and the world. Watch their videos here…
Jenny Bowen
Winner of the Purpose Prize for Intergenerational Innovation, sponsored by AARP – Bowen is uplifting the lives of thousands of Chinese orphans
Randal Charlton
Charlton promotes entrepreneurship in Detroit as a means to create jobs and revitalize the struggling city.
Nancy Sanford Hughes
Hughes helps save people in the developing world from catastrophic injury, even death, by replacing the traditional open cooking fire with an efficient stove.
Wajiru Kamau
Kamau helps African immigrants – especially teenagers – adjust to a vastly different life in the United States.
Edward Mazria
Mazria is driving the building sector toward dramatically reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
To learn more about Encore Careers, visit: www.encore.org.